Ex-Lakers Coach Casts Doubt on Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving Pairing

Getty Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks.

The Dallas Mavericks are preparing to enter their first full season with All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic running the show. In case you are tardy to the party, the Mavericks acquired Irving from the Brooklyn Nets at the NBA trade deadline in February.

But even with the two of the most talented stars in the NBA on their roster, former Los Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott doesn’t believe the Mavericks will be able to compete with the other juggernauts in the Western Conference.

“Dallas is going to be a good team this year. I don’t think they’re going to be a force in the West, it’s just too many great teams,” Scott said to NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports. “But Kyrie Irving is one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen.”

Byron Scott Sounds Off on Mavs Coach Jason Kidd

After missing the playoffs last year, the Mavericks’ front office is hopeful that the superstar duo having the opportunity to play together for an entire season will yield a different result. But as the Mavericks prepare to enter training camp together, Scott casts doubt on the compatibility of the Mavericks’ stars.

“I think Dallas has got a really good team, but I still think it’s going to be hard for J-Kidd to kind of figure out how to use Kyrie and Luka together. Both guys are very dominant with the ball,” Scott said.

The Mavericks were a top-five seed in the Western Conference before the Irving trade. But following their acquisition of the All-Star guard, Dallas plummeted in the standings and did not even qualify for the play-in tournament.

Scott believes Mavericks’ head coach Jason Kidd will have his work cut out for him figuring out how to utilize Doncic and Irving

“So, it’s going to be really hard for [Kidd] to figure out how to play those guys together as a team, but they got some talent,” he added.

Can Mavs Contend With Luka and Kyrie at the Helm?

The Mavericks have made some moves to solidify themselves as contenders. They added star forward Grant Williams in a trade this offseason, and more importantly inked Irving to a long-term deal that spans over the next three seasons. But outside of that the Mavericks have not done much to beef up their roster.

Perhaps the front office has other moves in mind ahead of training camp after waiving three-time NBA champion center JaVale McGee this week.

But the reality is that the NBA has reached the 11th hour of its offseason. And most players who could be a difference-maker for the Mavs, have already been spoken for.

Ironically, former Mavs big man Christian Wood is probably the best available player on the free agent market. And if Dallas had any interest in bringing him back, they would have done so already.

And with that being said, Irving and Doncic are going to have to shoulder much of the responsibility in Dallas this season.

And playoff-wise, individually, the star duo has not accomplished much. Luka has only advanced past the first round one time, and Irving has not been back to the NBA Finals since leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers.