As Year 4 of the Luka Dončić era is nearing its close after the NBA Playoffs, it's time to take stock of the Dallas Mavericks and their search for a co-star to their franchise player.
While Dallas did display a solid defensive effort in their Game 1 loss against the Utah Jazz, it was clear as day that the Mavericks were vastly lacking in talent and playmaking, producing just 17 assists on 29 made field goals, and ending up with just 93 points on the night in Dončić's absence.
Guard decisions coming up
While Dončić could return at some point in this series, potentially prolonging a Mavs loss or even flip the series in Dallas' favor, it remains fairly obvious that the star needs help. The Mavericks are projected to lose this series, which isn’t the outcome they were looking for after winning 52 games during the regular season.
Of the teammates currently around him, Jalen Brunson is the most reliable offensive performer, producing over 16 points per game this year on a TS of 58.3% while functioning as a secondary playmaker.
However, not only is Brunson entering unrestricted free agency this offseason, where he could command over $20 million annually, he's also a 6'1 guard which isn't much of a need for Dallas. While Brunson's overall level of talent is significant, and that in itself is a necessity for the Mavericks, it's fair to wonder if Brunson is a bit of a luxury item given the presence of Dončić and newly acquired guard Spencer Dinwiddie.
That doesn't mean Brunson should be ignored this summer. He's clearly a priority for Dallas, but perhaps it would be wise to explore sign-and-trade scenarios with Brunson and his team, so the Mavericks could create some roster symmetry.
The Los Angeles Clippers are still in need of more guard depth, and they're loaded with wings, which is an area where the Mavericks sorely need bodies. It'd make sense for the Mavericks to at least explore some possibilities, as to not waste Brunson's talent and gain some much-needed positional flexibility. Terance Mann and Amir Coffey would make nice fits on Dallas' roster, but Poison Pill status on Mann, and upcoming free agency for Coffey might complicate matters.
Regardless of the direction Dallas wish to go in, Brunson is the starting point, and losing him for nothing would be a huge loss in talent for a ball club that needs every ounce it can get its hands on.
Dinwiddie should be a keeper, especially if his play since the trade is any indication of future production. The 6'6 combo guard not only connected on over 40% of his three-pointers, and 50% overall, he also got to the line at a high rate (4.7 attempts in 28.3 minutes).
The idea of having another big guard in the backcourt with Dončić long-term is additionally intriguing for defensive purposes. While neither is projected to make a play for All-Defensive teams in the near future, having agile size like that will make life tougher on opposing guards.
Of course, the Mavericks could decide to prioritize Brunson and move on from Dinwiddie, which would be fine as long as the return from Dinwiddie gets them closer to a proper wing.
The path to a second star is difficult
The Mavericks have a tough road ahead of them in their search for another star. They seem optimistic about the long-term growth of Josh Green - and frankly, they should be - but the Australian still has some ways to go, and it's fair to question his ceiling. The 21-year-old has moments where he can look like a reliable two-way player, but only had eight games in double-digit scoring this season, spread out over 67 appearances.
That's not to say Green can't get better offensively, but he's difficult to project due to his lack of productivity. The Mavericks are nearing a point where they need to find something constant around Dončić, and so far Green's inconsistencies are working against him. While he does have a shot at becoming a game-changer, it's not something Dallas can bank on going from this year to the next one. If Green is to make a leap, it'll most likely come as an unplanned - but very welcomed - development.
Green is probably the club's biggest upside player outside of Dončić himself, which isn't exactly an asset for them at this stage. While star players do tend to hit the market somewhat frequently, the Mavericks do not have solidified young talent with enough trade value to haul them in, nor do they have the long-term draft capital to offset the lack of high-upside prospects.
Perhaps, then, it becomes a question of clearing cap space and going all-in in an upcoming free agency year. But that plan also comes with certain issues, in that players rarely target free agency anymore, instead opting for signing extensions and demanding out of their situations later on, if needed.
Besides, clearing cap space isn't going to be easy. Dallas have several long-term contracts on their cap sheet, most of which are fine in isolation. Collectively, however, spending $89 million on Dinwiddie, Tim Hardaway Jr, Davis Bertans, Reggie Bullock, Dwight Powell, and Dorian Finney-Smith is a bit of a mess and would take a lot of time to sort out, especially with only a handful of teams in possession of cap space.
As such, now is the time for the Mavericks to get creative. Relying almost exclusively on Dončić, one might argue, is also asking too much of one player moving forward.
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April 18, 2022 at 05:30AM
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Difficult Path Ahead For Mavericks In Finding A Second Star - Forbes
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