Former Mavericks Player “Betting That Luka Doncic Wins MVP” Next Season After Dallas’ Disrespect

Dylan Edenfield | 11/02/2025
Chandler Parsons (L), Luka Doncic (R)

Like so many others, Chandler Parsons believes Luka Doncic is primed for a revenge tour after his unceremonious trade from the Dallas Mavericks. As the new offensive captain of the Los Angeles Lakers, the Slovenian superstar will have a chance to shine for one of the NBA’s biggest markets. Parsons believes Doncic will be playing with extra fire in his first full season with the Lakers, which could culminate in a coveted accolade.

“I will be betting next season that [Luka] wins the MVP,” Parsons said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. “I think [Luka] goes nuts, I think he feels disrespected, and he should be.” The 36-year-old underlined his belief that Doncic will use that feeling as fuel to play better for his new team.

Doncic is already a five-time All-Star and captained an NBA Finals team by the time he was 25 years old, so it’s hard to say the star guard’s current situation is too concerning. However, if his weight and conditioning actually are a problem, Parsons believes Doncic will be motivated to get in the best shape of his life.

Parsons had strong praise for Doncic, and for good reason. The seven-year veteran already has a scoring title under his belt and has narrowly lost out on MVP awards in the past, so a prediction for him to bring it home next season isn’t the boldest, but it is realistic.

Doncic has already displayed his capabilities as a generational star and true building block before even entering his prime.

Luka Doncic will take time to fit into the Lakers’ system

After spending most of his tenure in Dallas as the alpha of the offense, he will be welcomed to a much different roster construction in Los Angeles. The team is already brimming with capable ball-handlers and high-usage scorers like LeBron James and Austin Reaves, so Doncic will have to find a way to make himself useful when the ball is out of his hands.

The Mavs’ addition of Kyrie Irving two years ago may have helped prepare Doncic for this transition, but it still takes time to adjust to playing alongside another Hall of Famer. Parsons underlined how it is often a process incorporating a new star guard into an established offense and the Lakers will likely face similar issues.

“Slow starts went with Kyrie Irving to the Mavs and Damian Lillard to the Bucks It won’t happen overnight for the Lakers and Luka Doncic.”

It may not happen right away for the Lakers, but Parsons believes from his MVP prediction that Luka Doncic and the Purple and Gold will be back on track next season.

Post Edited By: Sameen Nawathe
Chandler Parsons Luka Doncic

About the author

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Dylan Edenfield

Dylan Edenfield is an NBA journalist at The SportRush. He has written 500+ basketball articles for various websites since starting the venture in 2016, as a freshman in high school. Dylan has been a writer and graphic designer for PalaceofPistons.com, a Detroit Pistons-based Substack and podcast, since 2016. As an avid Detroit Pistons fan, contributing and building relationships with fellow writers truly sparked his love for NBA coverage. Dylan graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan in December 2023 with a Communications major in Media Arts & Studies and a minor in Sports Management. Dylan hoped to combine these two focuses to break into the professional sports journalism landscape. Outside of sports, Dylan is an avid gamer and occasionally likes to try other art forms, including drawing and painting. When it comes to something he creates, Dylan goes the extra mile to ensure his work is as good as it can be.

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