By George Efkarpidis/ info@eurohoops.net
The “wunderkind” from Slovenia already has many scouts raving about his unique skillset and when Micheal Porter Jr. went down with injury, he automatically became the no1 prospect, even if center Deandre Ayton is also a candidate for the top pick.
However, while Ayton has his ups and downs and his body seems to be his main asset at this point, Doncic’s amazing season with Real Madrid is one more proof that he is ready to make the jump in the NBA.
Even though he has played shooting guard and even “point forward” in Europe, he should be considered a point guard as his game translates into a floor general more than it does to a shooter. Also, guarding shooting guards in the NBA might not be the ideal fit for him.
And while he will not decide who will pick him in the draft, Eurohoops present the Top5 potential landing spots according to probability and ideal conditions.
No1 Chicago Bulls
The historic franchise has yet to see a championship since the departure of Michael Jordan. Even though Derrick Rose seemed to be “the chosen one” when he became the youngest MVP in the history of the league, injuries never really allowed to him to maximize his potential.
After trading Jimmy Butler in the offseason, the Bulls entered re-building mode and Finnish rookie Lauri Markkanen has had Bulls fans raving about his talent.
The trust shown in Markkanen could be a deciding factor in Luca Doncic’s case. If the Bulls would draft the Slovenian Eurobasket champion, he would most likely be the face of the franchise and a fan favorite due to his dazzling plays and high basketball IQ.
Furthermore, even though the Bulls have plenty of players at point guard, neither Jerian Grant nor Kris Dunn possesses the offensive arsenal that Doncic does. This would be an ideal situation for both the player and the franchise, but the Bulls should probably use a trade in order to get near the top of the picking order and get him.
Even though Memphis is a small market team, and seems to face administrative issues at the moment, the Grizzlies have proven to be a class-act organization.
Plus the organization have had a great experience with the Gasol brothers so trusting a player coming from overseas won’t be an issue.
In terms of playing time, if the Grizzlies decide to trade Marc Gasol and accept to enter a rebuilding phase, Luca Doncic will have a guard spot on lock. He could gain a whole lot of experience playing alongside one of the most underrated point guards in the NBA, Mike Conley.
The Grizzlies are a team built on grind and hustle but have lacked in talent – besides the Gasol brothers – for many years. They have never seen something like Luka Doncic before.
No3 Dallas
Having one of the greatest players of all time – and arguably the best ever international player of the NBA – on your roster could be a great bargaining chip for the Dallas Mavericks.
Rick Carlisle has already trusted and is looking to develop another European prospect in Maxi Kleber and Luca Doncic would fit right in.
Yes, the Mavs have Dennis Smith Jr. who looks like an NBA-ready player already but their lack of depth and talent at the guard position makes Dallas another ideal landing sport for Doncic.
A starting guard-combo of Dennis Smith Jr. and Luca Doncic? Sounds good to us.