Ex-NBA Star Advises Mavs on How to Maximize Luka Doncic

The Dallas Mavericks have built a sustainable contender around superstar Luka Doncic, but one former NBA All-Star thinks they're still missing a key piece to the puzzle. On the OGs Podcast , Gilbert Arenas broke down how he believes the Mavericks should construct their roster to best complement Doncic's unique skill set.

"With someone like Luka, the ball is in his hand. He's a bigger guard. You can't go small with his talent," Arenas said. "Going small hurts him. You can't have Kyrie [Irving] at the two and Klay [Thompson] at the three, and then you got a 6-foot-8 guy at the four. That's not how you win with this guy. You have to go big."

Arenas thinks the Mavericks should surround the 6-foot-7 Doncic with an even bigger lineup to create mismatches on opposing defenses.

"His shooting guard should be 6-foot-8," Arenas suggested. "You have to have a big lineup with Luka. When you put smaller guys around Luka, it hurts him. He's gonna get his numbers, but that's not how you win."

The Mavericks just came off an NBA Finals appearance last season, so it's hard to argue with the results of their current roster construction. Led by the dynamic duo of Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Dallas has built a sustainable contender in the loaded Western Conference.

Related: Mavs’ Luka Dončić Best Guard in NBA? A Data-Driven Analysis

At 25 years old, Doncic elevates the team to a high level of performance regardless of who surrounds him. The Mavericks have been bold in building around Doncic, proving they are serious contenders in the NBA. Whether or not Nico Harrison and the Mavericks need Arenas' advice remains to be seen.