Veteran forward Naji Marshall omitted Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic from his all-time Dallas Mavericks starting five, throwing shade at his former teammate.
Marshall was at the SwinCity League ProAm in Dallas on July 27, where Mavericks beat writer Noah Weber asked him to name the five best players in franchise history. The 3-and-D wing responded by naming his head coach, Jason Kidd, and current teammate, Kyrie Irving, besides Michael Finley, Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler.
By every conceivable metric, Doncic should be a part of the Mavericks’ all-time starting five. The Slovenian star amassed 12,089 points, 3,489 assists and 3,655 rebounds in just six-and-a-half seasons with the Mavericks, and was on track to break every franchise record until he was shockingly traded to the Lakers earlier this year.
Doncic averaged 28.6 points per game with the Mavericks, which is also a franchise record by a wide margin, 8.1 points more than Nowitzki’s 20.7. Furthermore, Doncic’s 8.3 assists per game were just second to Kidd’s 8.3, and his 8.7 rebounds were sixth, trailing only centers and other 7-footers who donned a Mavericks uniform.
Marshall Misses Luka Doncic
Marshall’s comments were rather surprising, given that he developed a close friendship with Doncic during their brief stint as Mavericks teammates.
Shortly after Doncic was traded to the Lakers, Marshall said the transaction deeply hurt him, as he felt he lost a brother in the locker room.
“I mean, I understood that, like, business is business as far as the NBA, but I was hurt, man,” he told “The Young Man And The Three” podcast.
“Luka’s my dawg, for real. And I love AD. That’s my guy right there. Like, he’s been great with us. You know, he welcomed us with open arms… But as far as just personally, like, I just was hurt to lose Luka, man.”
“Luka is just the chillest guy ever, bro. You just feel like his best friend from day one,” he added. “He’s just a great dude. Never mad, just always happy. And just a Hall of Fame flamethrower when it comes to basketball.”
Doncic Set to Sign Lakers Extension
The All-Star guard is widely expected to put pen to paper on a contract extension with the Lakers after he becomes eligible to do so on August 2.
According to Slovenian media outlet SportKlub, Doncic is expected to sign a four-year, $229 million contract, not the previously reported shorter-term deal.
Slovenian national team director Matej Likar confirmed to the outlet that his star player will join the national squad after inking a new contract with his NBA club.
“When he arrives, I will probably have to stand in line to arrange the last detail,” Likar told SportKlub. “Yes, everything is ready. Above all, it is worth emphasizing that Doncic’s playing for the national team was never in question. The coach told you when he will join us. I can only confirm that everything is going according to plan.”
Doncic also has the option of signing a three-year, $165 million extension or waiting until 2026 to sign a five-year, $295 million deal. By committing to the Lakers for four years, Doncic will essentially give the franchise more cap flexibility in 2027.
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