What's the next step for Mavericks guard Luka Doncic?

Luka Doncic had a historic rookie season for the Dallas Mavericks in which he broke nearly every "teenager" or "before turning 20" record imaginable.

Luka Doncic had a historic rookie season for the Dallas Mavericks in which he broke nearly every “teenager” or “before turning 20” record imaginable. He entered the league as arguably the most anticipated prospect from Europe. He was as good as advertised.

Doncic strolled through his debut season, winning the 2019 Rookie of the Year. In 72 games, Doncic averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists, and shot 42.7 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from three. Only he and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson averaged 21-7-6 in their first year in the NBA.

Given his impressive rookie season, Mavs fans are expecting Doncic to take a major leap in Year 2 and establish himself as a legitimate superstar. However, skeptics are still wondering how high his ceiling actually is.

The Mavericks have high hopes next season. The prospect of playing Doncic alongside Kristaps Porzingis has them eyeing the playoffs. Likewise, Doncic has been on record saying that his main goal for the 2019-20 season is to make the postseason.

That particular goal hinges on whether Doncic shows up next season in tip-top shape. Doncic will need to be in prime physical condition; he figures to carry an even heavier load for Dallas next season. In fact, Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle echoed the same sentiments earlier this month.

Doncic entered the league as a stocky combo guard, lacking any of the muscle mass professional basketball players should have. He also wasn't the fastest or strongest player among his peers. Yet, his craftiness, above-average athletic ability, and amazing skill set allow him to do what he does on the basketball court.

Doncic struggled with conditioning in his rookie season, mainly because he wasn't in his best shape. Doncic averaged just 32.2 minutes per game last year and played 72 games. Dallas is expecting him to play much more than that next season.

Likewise, Doncic often had lingering injuries and game-time decision tags for a good chunk of the season. Dropping some weight can help him avoid any of the nagging injuries he experienced last year.

Doncic has shown that he can be the complete package. He can handle the ball, make plays for others, and create shots for himself. Doncic can also score from nearly anywhere on the floor. Moreover, given his 6-foot-7 frame, Doncic is also very adept at securing rebounds, which gives Dallas the chance to set its offense immediately. Doncic is their primary playmaker.

However, most of his impact comes on the offensive end. Doncic still has ways to go as a defender in the NBA. He often gets beaten off the dribble as teams try to exploit his weakness by switching their smaller and much quicker guards onto him. He needs to increase his versatility on that end of the floor.

While Doncic showed he can score with the best of them, pundits still knocked him for his inefficiency. He percentages were lackluster last season, shooting just 42.7 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from long distance. His true shooting percentage was 54.4, which ranked 100th in the league.

Most of this is attributed to the fact that he took a good chunk of his shots – 43.3 percent – on 3-pointers last year. Having a leaner frame and quicker feet should help him get past defenders and get to the basket more often. Better conditioning should give him more energy to the take ball to the cup more often and look for more efficient scoring opportunities, rather than settling for his signature stepback threes.

The Mavericks' ceiling next season depends on how high the Slovenian star can take them. If he shows up at training camp in amazing physical shape, look for Doncic to have a breakout campaign and enable Dallas to contend for a playoff spot in the loaded Western Conference next season.