Before the 2018 NBA Draft, the major criticism of Luka Doncic as a prospect was the belief that he might already be near his ceiling. An above-average athlete at best with high-level skill and a keen basketball intellect as a teenager, skeptics assumed he'd be out-classed physically in the NBA, left with only so many counters to compensate.

As crazy as it sounds, there are people who still question the height of the Dallas Mavericks star's playing peak even after a debut season in which he established a new first-year standard for production and efficiency en route to winning Rookie of the Year. What even they should feel comfortable admitting, though, is that Doncic was nowhere near his physical prime in 2018-19 – not just because he's a teenager, but because he was clearly in subpar physical condition.

Rick Carlisle, evidently, is among those who already understand that reality, and is putting public pressure on Doncic to work diligently to address it.

“I think he played 31 minutes a game and the expectation this season is that he's going to have to play more,” Carlisle said per Dean Straka of Sports Day. “It's an even greater load and that requires getting in phenomenal shape.”

Doncic, the No. 3 overall pick of last year's draft, averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game last season. Listed at 218 pounds, he clearly lost weight throughout the season, lacking much semblance of muscle tone normally associated with professional basketball players.

There's a debate to be had about Doncic's burst and quickness. But until he gets in better condition, it's one that deserves a major caveat.