The Dallas Mavericks reached the NBA Finals behind superstar Luka Doncic. They were no match for the Celtics, but the 25-year-old superstar proved he can win in the biggest games. The five-time first-team All-NBA selection is on pace to be an all-time great, and the Mavs improved this offseason.
The headline-making move was trading for Klay Thompson. Getting a four-time NBA champion and one of the best shooters in history was massive, and the addition of Naji Marshall could be just as important. Dallas wants shooting and defense around number 77, and Nico Harrison certainly added more this summer.
Luka has been in the top ten in MVP voting for five straight years and finished third in 2024. His time is coming, but the 6’7 point guard faces a massive question that could derail his hopes of taking home the honors this season.
Is Luka Doncic healthy heading into potential MVP season?
Doncic powered the Mavs to the NBA Finals, but he was clearly not 100 percent. The 25-year-old struggled to sink jumpers, including shooting just 32.2 percent on his 211 playoff 3-point attempts. Luka played through a knee injury that would have held out most others. It made the team’s run even more impressive, but could be a problem.
Number 77 loves playing for his national team and did his best to get Slovenia back to the Olympics. Luka was again putting up monster numbers but did not look 100 percent. He made just eight of his 30 3-pointers as Slovenia was bounced in the semifinals of the qualifying tournament by Greece. The disappointing end's silver lining was Luka got a few months to rest before the 2024-25 season.
Doncic has played exactly 400 games in his first six NBA seasons. He misses some time each year but has overall been healthy.
There is no keeping him off the floor when the games matter most, but number 77 is only winning MVP if he is fully healthy. Luka led the NBA in scoring in 2024 in part behind his improved 3-point shooting. That won’t be possible again if he is dealing with a nagging knee injury all season.
Fans should be watching Luka Doncic closely during training camp and the preseason. How is moving? Does his jumper look back and is his knee fully healthy? If so, the rest of the league better watch out. The Dallas Mavericks will be a threat to win it all as Luka looks to take his first MVP honors. His time is coming, and it might just be now.