Dallas Mavericks Star Luka Doncic Reportedly Pushing For Trade Deadline Upgrades

By all accounts, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic has been playing on another level this season.

In his fifth season with the Mavericks, the 23-year-old Slovenian playmaker is putting up career-best numbers in terms of scoring (33.7 points per game, 1st in the league) and assists (8.8 assists per game)/

Moreover, he is one of the favorites to land the NBA Most Valuable Player honors.

Doncic also hit the 50-point plateau thrice in the month of December, which included a historic 60-point and 20-rebound triple-double.

But as stellar as Doncic's play has been this season, his Mavericks are sitting in the middle of the pack, currently with a 24-22 record, just two games above .500.

While the Mavericks are very much in the running for a spot in the postseason, at the rate Doncic has been carrying the team, it's highly likely that we see him become fatigued by the time the playoffs begin—granted that the Mavs do make it.

With the February 9th trade deadline just a few weeks away, Mavericks faithful have called on the front office—directly or indirectly—to get their Slovenian superstar some help.

This was also one of the points that ESPN staff writer Tim McMahon discussed in a recent article, stating that Doncic himself has made it known that he does want some backup.

"He's certainly not satisfied to be in the middle of the playoff pack. Doncic is a fiery competitor with a championship pedigree, having won titles with the Slovenian national team and Real Madrid, and patience isn't high on his list of virtues," McMahon wrote..

"Sources said Doncic, who hasn't shown a desire to be involved in personnel matters in the past, has strongly indicated he wants the Mavs to upgrade before the Feb. 9 trade deadline."

If such is the case, then the Mavericks should strongly consider pulling off a move at the deadline, lest they see Doncic decide to pack up and move out of town, as has been the case in the past with superstars who have grown unhappy with their environment.

Currently, the Mavericks' roster consists of the best scorer in the league in Doncic being backed up by players who were once fringe-All Stars in Christian Wood and Spencer Dinwiddie, as well as key role players in Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dorian Finney-Smith.

In terms of scoring output, the Mavericks' leading scorer behind Doncic's 33.7 per game is Wood, who's putting up 18.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, but has been pretty inconsistent.

Such is the case for the team's next best scorer in Dinwiddie, who's good for 16.7 points and over five assists per game.

No other player on the team is averaging double-digits in scoring.

Mavericks team owner Mark Cuban has since refuted McMahon's story, saying that Doncic has never spoken up about roster changes.

"Tim MacMahon got it dead wrong. Luka has never suggested, asked, demanded, or discussed changes to the roster," Cubanshared.