With the Mavericks facing the Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals, an underlying story will be the stars facing their former teams.
While it’s been five years since Kyrie Irving wore Celtics green, Kristaps Porzingis’ time in a Mavericks uniform is much more recent: two seasons ago, to be exact.
In 2019, Dallas acquired Porzingis from New York to create an All-Star pairing with Luka Doncic. The talent was undeniable, but the duo’s time was limited to 120 games in the regular season and 10 additional games in the postseason.
On paper, Doncic and Porzingis had the potential to win big. Still, they couldn’t get over the hump, which ultimately resulted in Dallas cutting its losses by trading Porzingis to Washington. Here’s why things didn’t work out when Dallas tried to build around Doncic and Porzingis.
Why Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis didn’t work out
During a December appearance on JJ Redick’s “The Old Man and The Three” podcast, Porzingis talked about why things didn’t go well during his time in Dallas.
“It’s a big mix of things,” Porzingis told Redick. “Maturity, for sure, I’m talking about what I could have done better… Maturity on my part, for sure.
“I wasn’t really into analytics and numbers. If someone at that stage of my career presented it to me in the right way and said, ‘This is what we need to do, this is what we need from you: you’re going to be much more effective in doing this,’ I think that would have made a difference.
Porzingis focused on his lack of maturity, which he cited as the reason for multiple deficiencies. In addition to his unwillingness to accept the team’s analytical approach, Porzingis indicated that immaturity took its toll on his relationship with Doncic.
“I think we both tried to make it work,” Porzingis said of the dynamic with Doncic. “It’s just that the communication (maturity and communication) on both sides should have been better.”
Redick, who spent two months in Dallas alongside Doncic and Porzingis, recalled a story in which Porzingis urged head coach Rick Carlisle to call Doncic in the huddle during the game. The story illustrates the pride factor at play between two young stars.
In addition to the issues Porzingis described, Redick made it a point to mention Porzingis’ injuries with the Mavericks. When he was acquired from New York, Porzingis’ ACL rehab delayed his Dallas debut until next season.
Porzingis’ first playoff run with the Mavericks ended early due to a torn meniscus, forcing him to rehab for the following season. Once he returned to action, Porzingis was put on a heavy minutes restriction that limited his production.
While things didn’t work out, it’s worth noting that Doncic and Porzingis posted a 71-49 (.592) record when playing alongside each other in the regular season. If the circumstances had been different, the results could have been more fruitful.
Kristaps Porzingis Mavericks Stats
- 3 seasons (134 games)
- 30.9 minutes per game
- 20.0 points per game
- 8.8 rebounds per game
- 1.8 assists per game
- 1.7 blocks per game
- 0.6 stamps per set
- 44.8 percent field goals
- 34.5 percent 3-point shooting
- 83.1 percent free throws
