NBA Rumors: Luka Doncic Could Recruit ‘Longtime Mentor’ Goran Dragic To Dallas In 2020 Free Agency
Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragic is set to be one of the most coveted veterans on the free agency market in the 2020 offseason. Dragic is highly expected to return to South Beach next season, but anything is possible until he officially inks a new contract with the Heat. One of the teams that could try to steal the Slovenian floor general from Miami is the Dallas Mavericks.
With their obvious need for additional star power on their roster, Mandela Namaste of Bleacher Report believes that Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic should consider recruiting his “longtime mentor” to Dallas in the 2020 free agency. Though he’s already on the downside of his career, Namaste thinks that pairing Dragic with Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis would strengthen the Mavericks’ chances of fully dominating the loaded Western Conference and bringing home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the 2020-21 NBA season.
“Dragic was nearly traded to the Mavericks last offseason, but the deal fell through at the 11th hour. That serendipity ended up working in Miami’s favor as the team wouldn’t have made the Finals without him. However, Dallas still needs a proficient secondary playmaker to complement Luka Doncic, and as Dragic is a longtime mentor to the wunderkind, their pairing almost seems inevitable. The Mavericks seem destined to be one of the league’s next great contenders, and that’ll likely be true with or without Dragic. But bringing in a veteran who can still play and is close with their once-in-generation superstar is just a total no-brainer.”
Targeting Dragic this offseason makes a lot of sense for the Mavericks. The addition of Dragic would lessen the burden of playmaking currently on Doncic’s shoulders and give the Mavericks a very reliable third scoring option along with another three-point threat. Last season, the 34-year-old point guard averaged 16.2 points and 5.1 assists while shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN. Aside from what he could contribute on the offensive end of the floor, he could also teach Doncic and Porzingis a thing or two on how to excel in a playoff environment.
With his relationship with Doncic, the Mavericks actually have a realistic chance of acquiring Dragic in the 2020 free agency. However, it’s unknown whether they’re willing to offer him a long-term contract this offseason. Like the Heat, the Mavericks want to maintain their salary cap flexibility for the summer of 2021 when the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Kawhi Leonard and Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers are set to become free agents.
