The Dallas Mavericks are heading toward a disappointing end to the 2022-23 regular season, with Luka Doncic and company potentially missing the NBA playoffs after reaching the Western Conference Finals last year.
It has been an epic decline for the Mavericks, even after the team acquired superstar guard Kyrie Irving before the NBA trade deadline in February.
The Mavericks have a serious lack of consistency, especially on the defensive end of the basketball floor, which Doncic admitted is the No. 1 thing that needs to change in Dallas.
Doncic has gotten a lot of credit over the last few years for the team being a perennial playoff contender in the post-Dirk Nowitzki era, but now the finger is starting to get pointed in his direction with the team falling apart.
Former NBA star Tim Hardaway didn’t hold back in his assessment of Doncic on The Carton Show.
"It's our fault as a league that Luka has become a crybaby, there are a lot of people that are babies now, we made the league that way."
— @HardawaySr pic.twitter.com/F5xFUzKFgY
— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) April 5, 2023
Hardaway’s son, Tim Hardaway Jr., is a former teammate of Doncic’s, which makes his comments all the more telling, considering he likely has a behind-the-scenes perspective of what’s happening in Dallas.
Along with being one of the worst defensive players among the league’s current superstars, Doncic complains as much as anyone in the league while on the floor, which Hardaway Sr. points out.
The real question moving forward is whether Doncic will be able to correct his defensive deficiencies and keep from complaining while leading the Mavericks to a title in the near future.
Right now, the future looks bleak, especially if Irving decides to leave in NBA free agency this summer.
The pressure will be on in Dallas, with Doncic needing to help right the ship, or there could be some rough years ahead for the Mavericks.
NEXT: Fans React To Rumors Of Kyrie Irving's Preferred FA Destination
