NBA: Re-grading the Luka Doncic, Trae Young trade
By Nolan Jensen
A GPA booster for the Mavericks:
The former EuroLeague MVP has taken the NBA world by storm since his rookie campaign. His statistics at his age and experience level in the league are unparalleled; he has rewritten the standard for what a young phenom looks like.
The ‘passing of the torch’ from fellow-European and former-Maverick Dirk Nowitzki has been seamless; the organization appears in good hands under their new face of the franchise.
Years away from what can be considered his ‘prime,’ Doncic is boasting numbers comparable to NBA legends’ best statistical seasons.
In year two, he is averaging the following:
| Season | Age | Pos | GS | MP | FGA | FG% | 3PA | 3P% | eFG% | FTA | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 20 | PG | 47 | 32.7 | 20.4 | .464 | 9.0 | .323 | .535 | 9.0 | .762 | 9.6 | 8.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 4.2 | 28.7 |
| Career | 119 | 32.4 | 18.0 | .443 | 7.9 | .325 | .514 | 7.6 | .736 | 8.5 | 7.1 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 3.7 | 24.2 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/28/2020.
It is nearly impossible to dictate what his ceiling may look like because we have never really seen anything like him before. Outside of Oscar Robertson, no one in NBA history has averaged better than 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists per game as a sophomore.
However, Robertson did that as a 23-year-old, but Doncic just turned 21 on February 28th.
His in-game brilliance has translated over to victories, unlike Young’s. Though the situations have clear distinctions and such a statement is unfair and slights Young, Dallas’ offensive scheme of surrounding Doncic with shooters while providing him freedom has been mutually beneficial for both parties.
In Doncic, Dallas likely has a perennial All-NBA talent who is sure to be mentioned in MVP conversations for years to come. The same could potentially be said about Young, but Doncic has enjoyed much more team success up to this point while putting up historic numbers of his own.