Luka Doncic Has No Ceiling According To Dave Joerger

[RealGM Wiretap]

Dave Joerger said he doesn't see a ceiling for Luka Doncic's potential after the Sacramento Kings beat the Dallas Mavericks 120-113.

Joerger continued, saying that the next step for Doncic is to become a great shooter "and when that happens, it's going to make him quicker. He's got good ballhandling and he knows how to play. Perhaps there was an idea that there was a ceiling on him. I don't see it, unfortunately for us. But he's great for them and he's great for our league".

Doncic finished the game with 28 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists. The Kings passed on Doncic and drafted Marvin Bagley Jr. with the second pick in last year's NBA draft. 

The matchup also featured another young guard receiving praise from an opposing coach in De'Aaron Fox, with Rick Carlisle describing the second-year guard's speed as "breathtaking". 

Via Tim MacMahon/ESPN

[Jester_]

I don't generally draw meaning from things like these, but this is clear shade to Bagley isn't it? "Unfortunately for us"?

[gh123]

I don't generally draw meaning from things like these, but this is clear shade to Bagley isn't it? "Unfortunately for us"?

Shade on Vlade, not Bagley's fault Vlade and his "european knowledge" decided to go with him.

[Jeff Van Gully]

I don't generally draw meaning from things like these, but this is clear shade to Bagley isn't it? "Unfortunately for us"?

Shade on Vlade, not Bagley's fault Vlade and his "european knowledge" decided to go with him.

i would have had a VERY hard time passing on luka even for ayton, which i totally understand. but no way in heck i would have let luka get past me at #2.

[ecuhus1981]

Everything is the draft is a gamble, it looks obvious in retrospect but you don't know for sure how someone will adapt to the NBA in advance. Luka was far from a can't-miss prospect, although I believed he would be a superstar. I figured he would go either 1 or 2, due to the European ties to both franchises. I can forgive PHX, who had such a gaping hole at C and already had swingman prospects. But SAC had like 7 PF/C prospects on their lineup BEFORE drafting Bagley. Then they stole Bjelica from MIN (great piece of FA business btw), and they wonder why Marvin doesn't have a large role? Not to mention, they are BARREN at the SF spot. I don't think Doncic is a natural 3, but he could have fit there for them. As surprising as the Kings' turnaround has been this season, they would have been an absolute terror for a decade if they'd have drafted LD.

Luka has a very slight chance to be the best basketball player ever.

[isucb]

Everything is the draft is a gamble, it looks obvious in retrospect but you don't know for sure how someone will adapt to the NBA in advance. Luka was far from a can't-miss prospect, although I believed he would be a superstar. I figured he would go either 1 or 2, due to the European ties to both franchises. I can forgive PHX, who had such a gaping hole at C and already had swingman prospects. But SAC had like 7 PF/C prospects on their lineup BEFORE drafting Bagley. Then they stole Bjelica from MIN (great piece of FA business btw), and they wonder why Marvin doesn't have a large role? Not to mention, they are BARREN at the SF spot. I don't think Doncic is a natural 3, but he could have fit there for them. As surprising as the Kings' turnaround has been this season, they would have been an absolute terror for a decade if they'd have drafted LD.

Luka has a very slight chance to be the best basketball player ever.

Agreed on the Kings pick of Bagley making no sense with their roster and then to add another PF on top of it I think Bagley will be useful but he seems like an odd fit for how the league plays right now and Im not sure who he can guard effectively. Even if they were for sure wanting a pf/c J Jackson would have been a homerun for them as they could eventually turn him into a C that can guard just about everyone. They wont get another lottery pick for a long time so its kind of a bummer they didnt knock it out of the park this draft.

[FinnTheHuman]

I kinda see why they didn’t need another high usage guy next to all these guys they have. Fox, Bogdanovic, Hield, heck even Bjelica who they have locked up for 3 years on a friendly deal can create for themselves efficiently. Bagley looks like a super garbage buckets man with his 2nd jump and he fits their fast pace well. He looks like he could develop a 3-pointer easily too. You can’t be sure both Doncic and Fox develop as well as they’ve done if they don’t have the ball as much as they do now, which they wouldn’t on this Kings roster. I’d rather have Doncic than Bagley seeing what I see now, but I don’t think Kings were a fit as much as Atl and Mavs are, they already have their 1st option, so it isn’t as big of a loss.

[SacKingZZZ]

I kinda see why they didn’t need another high usage guy next to all these guys they have. Fox, Bogdanovic, Hield, heck even Bjelica who they have locked up for 3 years on a friendly deal can create for themselves efficiently. Bagley looks like a super garbage buckets man with his 2nd jump and he fits their fast pace well. He looks like he could develop a 3-pointer easily too. You can’t be sure both Doncic and Fox develop as well as they’ve done if they don’t have the ball as much as they do now, which they wouldn’t on this Kings roster. I’d rather have Doncic than Bagley seeing what I see now, but I don’t think Kings were a fit as much as Atl and Mavs are, they already have their 1st option, so it isn’t as big of a loss.

I agree. I do think Bagley has a chance to become a really good offensive player and could reach that Chris Bosh level. It's not like he's only a garbage man. That might be what the Kings need out of him most but he can do more.

[dc]

I don't generally draw meaning from things like these, but this is clear shade to Bagley isn't it? "Unfortunately for us"?

LOL.

This reminds me of the time Joerger heaped praise to no end on Rodney Hood (when he was coaching the Grizz and he wanted to draft Hood, but they passed on him) and this irked the Grizz front office because it was clearly taking a shot at their drafting/decision making.

Joerger's not so subtle criticism of the Grizz front office by continually praising Hood at every turn was one of the issues causing strife between the two parties.

[Kabaum]

Joeger's comment is more throwing shade on Brandon Williams who is Bagley's guy. Doncic looks great but he kinda reminds me of Tatum where he is just more polished coming into the NBA over the other players drafted and might not have that much more to improve on. Doncic looked gassed by the end of the 1st quarter against the Kings yesterday. Kings FO has a vision to build around Fox and a fast pace offense. Bagley is extremely raw just like Fox coming out of the draft but there has been a lot of flashes early this season showing what type of player he can become. We might have 24 big men on our roster but until you find that all star level talent that shouldnt stop you from drafting talent over positional need.