The Dallas Mavericks are an interesting team when it comes to rebuilding. Last year, they looked like a bottom feeder. This year, they look like a playoff contender. With Kristaps Porzingis returning to the lineup, the Mavericks are a scary team. Their two powerhouse players, Porzingis and second-year Luka Doncic, will be crucial to their team for the next several years. The Mavericks will get a chance to skip the phase of trying out young players since both have shown the potential to be great. But what’s the next step for the Dallas Mavericks? Since they already have two potential superstars in the making, what else can they do?
What the Dallas Mavericks Need to Do
The next step is simple: keep the players healthy. Keeping players healthy seems easy enough, but with looking at the statistics, it’s easier said than done. It’s no secret that the NBA produces some of the highest injury report numbers in the sports world. Every day it seems like another player is going down with an ankle sprain or calf sprain. Sometimes it’s even worse, in player cases such as DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins has suffered several injuries in the past few seasons. His 2016-17 NBA season was cut short with a torn Achilles. He ended up suffering another injury in the 2019 NBA playoffs, this time being a ruptured quad. Again, Cousins’ latest injury happened to be a torn ACL. All three of these injuries happened within a year and a half. If teams and players aren’t more cautious with their injury rehab, cases like Cousins will pop up everywhere.
Doncic hasn’t had a history of injuries, but Porzingis has. Porzingis tore his ACL on February 6th, 2018 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Porzingis has been diligent with his rehab, judging from the fact that the world has still not seen him on the court since his injury. His injury occurred over a year and a half ago. Porzingis has been seen rehabbing his knee, as well as practicing drills. If the Mavericks’ training staff is smart, Porzingis is expected to be on a minute restriction. That way, he can continue to take it slow to come back to 100 percent healthy.
The Dallas Mavericks Next Step in Rebuilding
As said before, Doncic hasn’t had a history of injuries. Nevertheless, he has to stay safe. Just because a history of injuries doesn’t exist, doesn’t mean that a history of injuries can’t occur. The Dallas Mavericks’ next step in rebuilding should be an easy step if handled correctly. If Porzingis can rehab back to 100 percent, and Doncic can stay healthy (as well as their other role players), the Mavericks can take a shot at the playoffs. For free agents, that’s attracting. A team with two young stars and a good supporting cast is welcoming to players looking to play for a winning roster. If the Mavericks can stay healthy, expect them to be a powerhouse in the Western Conference soon enough.
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