Cuban Says He's Had Conversation With Luka About Getting Teammates More Involved

[ClutchDirk]

https://1053thefan.radio.com/articles/ne...ugh-trades

Dallas will surely back Doncic after the team went 3-4 in the seven games he missed during his latest ankle injury. However, a positive sign during that stretch was Kristaps Porzingis' stellar play. In the five games Porzingis played during Doncic's absence, he averaged 28.8 points per game. A far cry from his season average of 18.2. So how do the Mavericks get that kind of production out of Porzingis when Luka returns?

"Well, he's gotten more shots, obviously," Cuban said of Porzingis. "With Luka back, I think pre-injury, KP was still a little hesitant. We talked about not being used to taking ten threes a game, he's (now) gotten used to it. I think that will open up things even more and by having him there those driving lanes will be open for Luka."

Cuban was then asked if Luka needs to do a better job of getting his teammates involved, like Porzingis?

"Absolutely. And that's a conversation we had. I told him 'you gotta set up guys for their Steve Kerr moments.' You've gotta get them involved and make it so that come the fourth quarter, not just of a regular-season game,  but in a playoff game, they're used to looking for the ball and you're used to looking for them."

[StepBackJay]

I mean he's almost 9 assists a game. I actually think the other guys are pretty involve sans KP. the real guy to get more involved is KP. He should be taking shots away from some of the other. Doncic can get to the rim any time he wants and he already makes good decisions there. If he has the shot he will take it or the pass he will make it. Not sure he needs to change anything. To me its just a coaches decision to say KP needs more looks and one way to do that is to stagger his minutes more so that he can be featured.

[Hypermav]

Cuban, leave him alone, crap.

[Kammrath]

I think Luka's ceiling (and his team's ceiling) will be when he plays more like Nash on offense. Being more selective with his own shot (especially only taking spot up threes) and just endlessly probing the defense until he gets his teammates open looks or himself layups. 11-12 assists a game is my hope for him and over 50% assist % (he is at 46.6% this season).

[BigDirk41]

This is a good way to piss off the most promising player in the NBA since LeBron. Cuban shut the hell up. This stuff should always be handled behind closed doors.

For the record, I think the Mavs would be much better off if Luka focused on being a 25/10/10 player and getting KP more involved. That being said that's a private coaching conversation. It has ZERO to do with Cuban.

[ClutchDirk]

Smartest man in the room giving BB advice to the Baby GOAT...

https://media.giphy.com/media/H9A8hsi0lzG2A/giphy.gif

[hakeemfan]

I applaud Cuban. Everyone is so worried that Luka will get mad and leave. If someone giving him constructive advice to improve his game ticks Luka off, that’s not the superstar you want to build around anyway. Assists are not the be all end all. Westbrook averaged a triple double for a whole season and no one still considers him as a great facilitator because in crunch time the ball seems to stick in his hands too much. I applaud Cuban for not being so scared of losing a stud that he just enables him all the time.

Where I don’t agree with Cuban is making this public. It is one thing that a dumbass fan like me points this out after every game. It is another thing when your owner publicly talks about this.

[Fuerza1]

I've been saying the same thing all season. I guess that makes me and Cubes huge Luka "haters" according to some here.

[BigDirk41]

All I'm saying is it should be kept private. I don't disagree with what Cuban thinks. Some things need to stay in house.

[LukTheShadow]

https://gamblerwins.files.wordpress.com/....gif?w=600&h=300

Good distraction Mark  

[Benskix2]

I agree that you shouldn't talk bad about players in the media, but if Luka hears the interview I don't think he will take it that way.  Cuban wasn't doing it to try and reach Luka through the press, he was just relaying a story to answer a question, I don't think he considered that in some peoples minds it's insulting to say that a 20 year old isn't already a flawless NBA player. 

The problem is that people are going to read the headline and not listen to the interview and then react, and fan reaction itself makes news these days, so espn will pick up the story and use some donic fan boys blog post as an anonymous source, and then people will start asking Donic about it in interviews and it will make things awkward for him and he'll get sick of answering questions about it and then we as fans get less access.

[mtrot]

Well, I think Cuban hit the nail right on the head.  As I've posted here multiple times, I thought the Mavs had gotten too Luka-centric.  You cannot become too predictable to your opponent.   I saw Luka adopting a bit of Harden's sort of mentality, i.e., I can score on you and there's nothing you can do about it -- until there is.  As the season winds down, and in to the playoffs, it's going to be even more important to run a "diversified" offense, IMO.

[BigDirk41]

I agree that you shouldn't talk bad about players in the media, but if Luka hears the interview I don't think he will take it that way.  Cuban wasn't doing it to try and reach Luka through the press, he was just relaying a story to answer a question, I don't think he considered that in some peoples minds it's insulting to say that a 20 year old isn't already a flawless NBA player. 

The problem is that people are going to read the headline and not listen to the interview and then react, and fan reaction itself makes news these days, so espn will pick up the story and use some donic fan boys blog post as an anonymous source, and then people will start asking Donic about it in interviews and it will make things awkward for him and he'll get sick of answering questions about it and then we as fans get less access.

Yeah I think that about sums up what will happen. That's how I see it playing out also. Most will make articles without even listening to the interview.

[Scott41theMavs]

We will see if the deeply humble persona we encounter in Luka's interviews is genuine or an act. If the former, nothing to worry about.

[jesusshuttlesworth82]

It's not the message people are complaining about.  It's the delivery.

It's not the owner's job to tell a player how to play.  Even more importantly, he shouldn't be talking to the press about it.

[Tyler]

Luka learning to share the ball more on offense rather than feeling pressured to control every possession is good for everyone.  It's good for Luka's longevity.  It's good for his teammates.  And in the long run it's good for winning.  Cuban is right, and I think it's silly to spin his example of how Dallas is encouraging Luka's growth as a leader as somehow problematic.

[Kammrath]

Luka learning to share the ball more on offense rather than feeling pressured to control every possession is good for everyone.  It's good for Luka's longevity.  It's good for his teammates.  And in the long run it's good for winning.  Cuban is right, and I think it's silly to spin his example of how Dallas is encouraging Luka's growth as a leader as somehow problematic.

[cow]

KP and Luka need to improve on the floor together. KP needs to be more assertive and Luka needs to get him shots. This should be coming from the coaching staff and Cuban should stick to what he is good at, complaining to the officials so we don't get calls. Seriously though, year two is where I look for the duo to take off. KP will have the trust back in his knee and will have his confidence back. Luka will be used to playing with another unicorn.

[fifteenth]

Nothing wrong with this. Cuban is probably reinforcing a message that does come from the coaching staff. The Mavs front office, coaching staff and players all have good relationships with each other. This message, as Luka embraces it, will help the Mavs to become a better 4th quarter team. And if Luka embraces advice he gets from coaches and the front office, and then sees the team get better because of it, then he'll appreciate it.

[Reunion Mav Old]

Though I have criticized Dallas owners for this in the past and I get the concern in this thread, I am not concerned at all about this particular occasion. One of Luka's advantages is that he is not a hyper-sensitive modern USA athlete. Many USA players aren't either. I think he is on the way to Dirk level loyalty and dedication. I love that he took the message which he probably got from Rick long before Mark was involved. I kind of liked Mark's Steve Kerr reference. It is Michael Jordan era but I bet Luka understood and immediately did as asked. 

Now for the All Star celebration!