NBA 18/19: Best 3 performing Dallas Maverick player's of the season so far

The Dallas Mavericks endured a disastrous 17/18 season, which left fans of the franchise with little hope for the 18/19 campaign. Last season, the team finished 13th in the Western Conference with a 24–58 record, and in the aftermath, the Mavericks lost Nerlens Noel, Seth Curry, and Doug McDermott.

Nevertheless, the Mavericks had a number of picks in the 2018 NBA draft, and the team came out the draft better off than any other team. The Dallas team picked up 19-year-old Luka Doncic, and the Slovenian youngster has quickly developed into one of the best rookies to enter the NBA in recent memory. The Mavericks were also able to pull off a deal for All-Star DeAndre Jordan while signing Dirk Nowitzki to a final extension.

The Mavericks summer business has contributed to the team making an excellent 16-15 start to the season, and here we will look at the teams best three performing players so far.

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#3 Dorian Finney-Smith

Dorian Finney-Smith was picked up by the Dallas Mavericks after going undrafted in 2016

Dorian Finney-Smith played college basketball both for both Florida and Virginia Tech, although the player went undrafted during the 2016 NBA draft. Nevertheless, Finney-Smith joined the Dallas Mavericks in the aftermath of the draft, and the small forward earned a place on the team's roster after impressing during the 2016 Summer League.

The 25-year-old surprisingly started 35 games for the Mavericks during the 16/17 season, and the rookie averaged 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds. The player missed most of the 17/18 season with a serious knee injury, although he has since returned and has continued to impress.

This season Finney-Smith's minutes have increased to 26.4 per-game, and the forward is averaging career highs in both points (8.4) and rebounds (4.4). The Maverick's man looks as though he will continue to improve over the next few years, and he could eventually become an important player in the post-Dirk Nowitzki era.

#2 Dennis Smith Jr.

Dallas Mavericks v Phoenix Suns

Dennis Smith Jr. was ranked as one of the most promising point guards going into the 2017 NBA draft, and the Dallas Mavericks managed to pick him up as the 9th overall pick. The 21-year-old had played just one season of college basketball for NC State University, however, the Mavericks had seen enough potential to believe that Smith could become the teams future starting point guard.

During his rookie season in Dallas, Smith Jr. benefited from a lack of depth and quality on the team's roster to immediately become the teams starting guard. The youngster averaged 15.2 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in his debut year, and his performances resulted in Smith Jr. making the NBA's All Rookie-Second Team. The point guard has continued to improve in his second season, increasing his field goal percentage to .437 and Smith has also formed an exciting partnership with Luka Doncic.

#1 Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic performances have put the Dallas Mavericks in playoff contention

Luka Doncic has already taken the NBA by storm. The 19-year-old entered the 2018 NBA draft as one of the highest rated European prospects in history, and Doncic has more than lived up to the hype. The Slovenian has been the best rookie of the season so far, and many NBA analysts believe that he could also be called up to the NBA All-Star game in February.

Doncic is currently averaging 18.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, and based on his rookie performances, it is not a stretch to say that he could become a top 10 player in the NBA within the next five years. Dallas Mavericks fans have for years worried about life after Dirk Nowitzki, however, with Doncic leading the team, the Mavericks could soon be contenders as they look to win a first Championship since 2011.