Dallas Mavericks predict Luka Doncic's 'basketball demise' in five years

Luka Doncic was heart and soul of the Dallas Mavericks for nearly seven years. During the process, Doncic led the team to a Western Conference Finals and an NBA Finals appearance.

This season, the stage was set for the Mavs as general manager Nico Harrison had created an excellent roster around his cornerstone superstar.

Just when the Mavs Nation was preparing for Doncic's return from a calf strain, arguably the most shocking trade news in all of NBA history was revealed as the 25-year-old was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Since then, Mavericks fans have criticized Harrison and the top brass, but it has had little effect as they continue to downplay Doncic's fit in the franchise culture. The Mavericks recently took another shot as the organization apparently believes Doncic's 'basketball demise' is near due to his off-court habits.

"Make no mistake, the people who witnessed Dončić’s last days in Dallas do not paint a flattering portrait of the 25-year-old’s professionalism. They call him lazy. They talk about the weight issues that were such a frequent frustration within their walls," Sam Amick of The Athletic wrote.

He added: "They mention the social habits that The Athletic has reported on — such as a taste for beer and hookah — which have been a point of concern for NBA types since he was a 19-year-old star for Real Madrid who was entering the NBA Draft. They predict his basketball demise, highlighting a health history that, as some see it, will likely lead to catastrophe in the next five years or so.”

Now, fans have seen Doncic drinking beer and smoking a hookah, but it has never impacted his performance on the court.

As things stand right now, the Mavs firmly believe that the day when Doncic no longer remains a top-notch player in the NBA is not far. On the contrary, the Slovenian superstar is getting better with each passing with the LA Lakers.

He recently had a triple-double performance against the Mavericks and helped the Lakers improve to a 35-21 record for the season.