The Dallas Mavericks made a splash to acquire Luka Doncic. They traded promising young point guard, Trae Young and a protected future first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks just to bring the Slovenian wonderboy aboard. Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle knows they gave up a significant package to bring in Doncic, but they made the move because they felt he could make an immediate impact.

“We made a pretty significant deal to move up and get him, so we felt he was pretty good and certainly capable of significant impact, even early in the season,” Dallas Coach Rick Carlisle said to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “There’s no shock from our standpoint. He’s a good player and getting better all the time as he learns more about the league.”

This is what happens when a team goes all in on a player and there are early indications that they made the right decision. The Mavs were convinced that Doncic could come in and have an immediate impact and they were spot on with that assessment.

Related NewsArticle continues below
Cooper Flagg talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago.
Jason Kidd reveals Mavericks’ potential Cooper Flagg plan
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and guard Max Christie (00) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center.
Mavericks’ Jason Kidd gets brutally honest on Luka Doncic trade

Early on, Doncic has been Dallas' best player and he's contributing in so many different ways. He can score with anyone, he's a gifted passer, and he has the size and instinct to crash the boards. Doncic looks like the far-too-early frontrunner for Rookie of the Year.

Even better for Dallas, he looks like he has All-Star potential in the not-too-distant future. Rick Carlisle and the Mavs picked a winner.