After a promising 22–16 start, the Mavericks' 2023 season has turned into an unmitigated disaster.
Dallas is 16–27 since Jan. 2., and has fallen completely out of Western Conference playoff and play-in contention. Friday evening, the Mavericks lost 115–112 to the Bulls in a game they appeared to punt from the outset, sitting guard Kyrie Irving and removing guard Luka Dončić minutes into the second quarter.
With a lone home game against the Spurs remaining and the season lost, Dallas's problems seem to be just beginning.
Saturday morning, ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that the Mavericks are leery of Dončić potentially asking for a trade after the 2024 season.
“Team sources have acknowledged to ESPN that fear exists that Dončić, who publicly and privately expressed extreme frustration this season, could consider requesting a trade as soon as the summer of 2024 if Dallas doesn’t make significant progress by then,” MacMahon wrote.
On March 24, when the Mavericks lost 117–109 to the Hornets at home, a defeated Dončić lamented to reporters that he “used to have fun” playing basketball and felt he was just going through the motions in ’23.
Dallas has Dončić under contract through the 2026 season, with a player option for 2027.
