2020 Recruiting: Luca Doncic

[superjohn]

This kid is just incredible, only a matter of time before he's the best player in the NBA. Poor Rudy got splashed on tonight.

 

[Kitaman]

Like him or not, Mr. Dribble-Dribble Harden is the benchmark. Just phenomenal what he is doing against grown arse men. But Doncic is a bad Man on the rise!

 

[awfuldan]

They’re good players and still young but every day it looks dumber and dumber that the Suns and Kings took Ayton and Bagley over this kid.

Really difficult to imagine the ceiling for Doncic when he is playing this well in year two.

 

[Lefty2one]

They’re good players and still young but every day it looks dumber and dumber that the Suns and Kings took Ayton and Bagley over this kid.

I couldn't believe it heading up to the draft. PHX being locked in on Ayton weeks before the draft was puzzling but SAC not wanting Doncic because they already had Fox will go down in history with Bowie/Jordan. That's why the Kings are the Kings.

 

[Kenny11]

He’s already a top 10 player in the nba

 

[mauconnfan]

He’s already a top 10 player in the nba

I admit I don't watch as much as most of you, but Top 10? Not sure there's that many better than this guy. Top 5 for sure from what I've seen but again I don't know.

Can someone name all the guys they believe are better because I probably miss a few in my head.

 

[awfuldan]

I admit I don't watch as much as most of you, but Top 10? Not sure there's that many better than this guy. Top 5 for sure from what I've seen but again I don't know.

Can someone name all the guys they believe are better because I probably miss a few in my head.

No particular order: Lebron, Harden, Giannis, Davis, Kawhi, Curry, Durant (does he count? not sure how he will look post-injury), Paul George, Embiid, Jokic, Lillard.

You could certainly argue that Luka is above a few of those guys. I think he probably has to prove it in the playoffs first.

EDIT: guys like Kyrie, Westbrook, Karl Anthony Towns, Kemba, Jimmy Butler would probably be in a second tier, like 10-20.

 

[3rdbass]

Poor Atlanta traded this guy for that small, shoot first point guard from Oklahoma. While a nice player he will never be as good as Doncic.

 

[Chin Diesel]

#4, #5, #8 and #11 were turned into Craig Ehlo on MJ posters.

 

[Kenny11]

I admit I don't watch as much as most of you, but Top 10? Not sure there's that many better than this guy. Top 5 for sure from what I've seen but again I don't know.

Can someone name all the guys they believe are better because I probably miss a few in my head.

He could be top 5. So far he is this season. The top players in the NBA in no order are Lebron, Giannis, Kawhi, Durant and Curry (when healthy), Harden, and probably Anthony Davis. Embid can also be considered. Last season Jokic was a top player but didn't come into this season in shape. Westbrook and Paul George are sometimes mentioned as well. So Doncic definitely has been a top 5 player this season if not top 2, but these other guys have been doing it for years. Doncic will probably win an MVP as soon as the Mavs are a 50 game winning team.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

No particular order: Lebron, Harden, Giannis, Davis, Kawhi, Curry, Durant (does he count? not sure how he will look post-injury), Paul George, Embiid, Jokic, Lillard.

You could certainly argue that Luka is above a few of those guys. I think he probably has to prove it in the playoffs first.

EDIT: guys like Kyrie, Westbrook, Karl Anthony Towns, Kemba, Jimmy Butler would probably be in a second tier, like 10-20.

I would take him over Embid, Jokic, and even Dame. Not only can he score, he elevates his teammates. Plus, he is younger. I would take him over Harden for that very fact, but most would disagree.

 

[superjohn]

He could be top 5. So far he is this season. The top players in the NBA in no order are Lebron, Giannis, Kawhi, Durant and Curry (when healthy), Harden, and probably Anthony Davis. Embid can also be considered. Last season Jokic was a top player but didn't come into this season in shape. Westbrook and Paul George are sometimes mentioned as well. So Doncic definitely has been a top 5 player this season if not top 2, but these other guys have been doing it for years. Doncic will probably win an MVP as soon as the Mavs are a 50 game winning team.

He's top 5, IMO. In no order- Kawhi, Lebron Giannis, Doncic, Durant. Everyone will probably scream Harden but I already think Doncic is better.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

He's top 5, IMO. In no order- Kawhi, Lebron Giannis, Doncic, Durant. Everyone will probably scream Harden but I already think Doncic is better.

I love Doncic, but Harden is better than him. 1x MVP (Should be 3x btw) and consistently leads his teams to 55+ wins. Doncic is gonna be LeBron-esque in being probably the best player in the league for a decade plus, but He’s ~10 games into his sophomore season, lets not get TOO ahead of ourselves.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Mark Cuban is a hard owner to root for, but Doncic is playing great. Porzingis is back enough from his injury to be a really good second scorer. The rest of the current team is spare parts, but looking ahead, Dallas should have no trouble attracting free agents to play with Doncic. Dallas is going to be good for a long time if they can keep Doncic and Porzingis healthy.

 

[nomar]

No particular order: Lebron, Harden, Giannis, Davis, Kawhi, Curry, Durant (does he count? not sure how he will look post-injury), Paul George, Embiid, Jokic, Lillard.

You could certainly argue that Luka is above a few of those guys. I think he probably has to prove it in the playoffs first.

EDIT: guys like Kyrie, Westbrook, Karl Anthony Towns, Kemba, Jimmy Butler would probably be in a second tier, like 10-20.

A slightly different question. Is there anyone besides Doncic people would rather build a team around? I don't think I'd take anyone over him if I had to pick one player for the next 10-15 years.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

A slightly different question. Is there anyone besides Doncic people would rather build a team around? I don't think I'd take anyone over him if I had to pick one player for the next 10-15 years.

Only argument would be Giannis

 

[MilliniumPrince]

A slightly different question. Is there anyone besides Doncic people would rather build a team around? I don't think I'd take anyone over him if I had to pick one player for the next 10-15 years.

Giannis or Simmons.....but all three are right there.

A lot of people forget AD is only 26. But Giannis, Doncic, and Simmons (not since his first year) don't yet have his injury history.

 

[nomar]

Only argument would be Giannis

He's incredible. But he really needs to improve his outside shot.

 

[husky429]

He's incredible. But he really needs to improve his outside shot.

32% on 4.3 attempts per game and trending up.

Don't put it past this guy to improve. He's added to his game every single year

 

[Rocktheworld]

They’re good players and still young but every day it looks dumber and dumber that the Suns and Kings took Ayton and Bagley over this kid.

Really difficult to imagine the ceiling for Doncic when he is playing this well in year two.

Well the draw of the euro league is the kids go in at like 15 and are polished pros by 20. Whereas kids in America dick around in AAU for a few years then major in Eligibility for 9 months with a college coach, playing maybe 10 meaningful games.

So he is likely way closer to his ceiling than are Ayton and Bagley

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

A slightly different question. Is there anyone besides Doncic people would rather build a team around? I don't think I'd take anyone over him if I had to pick one player for the next 10-15 years.

It's insane to think of what he's going to be like in 5 or 6 years.

 

[auror]

Only argument would be Giannis

Giannis is either a free agent in 2 years or you'll have to give him a full supermax.

Doncic has 6 years until you have to do that and he's making an average of 9 mil the next 2 years. He'll get a reasonable max extension in 2 years.

If contracts aren't part of this hypothetical, then yeah I think I go Giannis.

 

[UconnU]

He’s averaging 30/11/9 he’s a legit MVP candidate, maybe the front runner. His game is tailor made for the NBA with his pnr play and 3 point shooting. The kings taking Bagley over him may go down as one of the worst draft decisions ever.

 

[awfuldan]

Well the draw of the euro league is the kids go in at like 15 and are polished pros by 20. Whereas kids in America dick around in AAU for a few years then major in Eligibility for 9 months with a college coach, playing maybe 10 meaningful games.

So he is likely way closer to his ceiling than are Ayton and Bagley

I don't agree with the argument you are making here. Yeah, Doncic was more prepared than Bagley and Ayton coming in, but that is a good thing. I also don't think he is anywhere near his ceiling. Look at the jump he made between years one and two. This kid is going to get better and better. If he has a ceiling, it's as the best player in the league.

For the sake of argument, let's say he's reached his ceiling already, in year two. He's an All-NBA guy on a playoff team despite a lackluster roster. That's an incredibly high level player. Bagley and Ayton aren't even close to that level. In several years, could they get there? Yeah, maybe, if they are lucky. But Luka is special.

There were arguments (misguided or not) to be made pre-draft that Bagley and Ayton were better prospects. It is not possible to make that argument now.

 

[Rocktheworld]

I don't agree with the argument you are making here. Yeah, Doncic was more prepared than Bagley and Ayton coming in, but that is a good thing. I also don't think he is anywhere near his ceiling. Look at the jump he made between years one and two. This kid is going to get better and better. If he has a ceiling, it's as the best player in the league.

For the sake of argument, let's say he's reached his ceiling already, in year two. He's an All-NBA guy on a playoff team despite a lackluster roster. That's an incredibly high level player. Bagley and Ayton aren't even close to that level. In several years, could they get there? Yeah, maybe, if they are lucky. But Luka is special.

There were arguments (misguided or not) to be made pre-draft that Bagley and Ayton were better prospects. It is not possible to make that argument now.

I mean, maybe he brings his 3 percentage to around 35% but what else can he do? He’s not a great defender, but never will be if he’s putting up 40 point triple doubles