After a 20-point loss, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks find themselves down 0-2 to the Phoenix Suns.
This comes in the Eastern Conference semifinals after Dallas dispatched the dysfunctional Utah Jazz in six games.
Doncic only appeared in three games due to a calf strain.
Luka has played both games of the semifinals and has played well.
Game 1 saw him pour in 45 points on 15-30 from the field while chipping in 12 rebounds and 8 assists.
Game 2 was not quite as impressive, but still a monster line: 35 points on 13-22 shooting with 5 rebounds and 7 assists.
Much like previous Luka-led trips to the playoffs, the Mavericks simply do not have enough talent to support their megastar.
Whether the Mavericks come back in this series or not, Dallas needs to find Doncic a co-star.
3. John Collins
First up is the star power forward from the Atlanta Hawks, John Collins.
Collins was frequently mentioned in trade discussions around the deadline this year and seems likely to be moved at some point in the near future.
Dallas could be a prime landing spot.
Collins is one of the best jumpers in the NBA today.
His pogo-stick legs have been the reason he has appeared on countless poster dunks and highlight reels.
This John Collins dunk was nasty 😳 pic.twitter.com/V2xMilqNbY
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 6, 2021
Next to Luka, he would provide a lob target on the pick-and-roll.
Similar to what Dwight Powell does at the moment, but with a little more juice.
Collins has a more refined offensive arsenal than Powell and would be able to take some of the scoring load off Luka’s shoulders.
On top of being an elite athlete to finish lobs, Collins has a fairly smooth shooting stroke.
As evidenced by his career 37.6% mark from three over his career.
Collins could wind up being the most talented big Doncic plays with.
2. Jerami Grant
Next up is Jerami Grant, the 6-foot-8 wing who has blossomed as a scorer over the past two seasons in Detroit.
With Cade Cunningham needing touches to develop in the Motor City, it may be time for Grant to move on.
Grant plays a similar position to Collins but would fill a separate role in Dallas.
Originally just thought of as a two-way wing known for his defense, Grant has expanded his offensive repertoire as the lead man on the Pistons.
2021 NBA Most Improved Player finalists:
🏎 Jerami Grant
🍎 Julius Randle
🏔 Michael Porter Jr. pic.twitter.com/oXPMUoJMVh— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 20, 2021
His added scoring juice would be welcomed by the Mavericks and Doncic.
He would alleviate some of the scoring load off Luka’s plate thanks to his ability to create scoring opportunities by himself.
But his career 35% mark from three is evidence he would not be useless working off the ball.
On the defensive end, he would provide quality perimeter defense to help slow down opposing wing scorers.
Dallas became a much better defensive team this season but giving up 120+ to the Suns in both games this series says they have another level to reach.
Grant’s perimeter defense and scoring talent would be a great fit next to Doncic.
1. Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal is definitely the most unlikely of these three to get moved.
But he also presents the biggest upside as the most talented player on this list.
Doncic has never had the luxury of not having the defense focus solely on him.
When he is on the court, there are typically five sets of eyes pointed in his direction, which makes it hard for any player to be successful.
The fact that Doncic has still been so impactful is a testament to his talent.
Adding Beal would finally give opposing defenses something else to think about.
The Washington guard would bring a fantastic skillset to pair with Luka.
Bradley has enough lead-guard skills to ensure Luka does not need the ball at all times.
But is also a talented enough shooter to be able to work off the ball when Doncic has it in his hands.
"I see stuff about Bradley and I kind of wonder, my goodness, are we talking about the same player?"
Bradley Beal's numbers dipped this past season, but there was a lot of context worth considering and the Wizards appear to view it as a one-year outlier. https://t.co/y1RqIxp8R4
— Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS) May 4, 2022
Even after a career-worst mark of 30% from deep this year, Beal is a career 37.2% shooter from outside.
Pairing two elite offensive guards together would give the Mavericks arguably the most dangerous backcourt in the league.
NEXT: Luka Doncic Continues To Struggle Against A Future Hall Of Famer