Offseason questions: How would you grade the Mavs' offseason?
Earl K. Sneed breaks down NBA.com's offseason report card on the Dallas Mavericks and asks if it's warranted.
Offseason questions: How would you grade the Mavs' offseason?
How would you grade the Dallas Mavericks’ offseason?
This week, NBA.com released its annual report cards series grading all 30 teams’ off-season activities. And after a rough beginning to the free agency process, a series of moves by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and president of basketball operations and GM Donnie Nelson earned the team a solid grade of B.
Only the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers were graded at an A, after all three squads were very active this summer.
In addition to keeping All-Star point guard Deron Williams in free agency, despite the Mavs’ pursuit of The Colony native, the Nets also brought in perennial All-Star Joe Johnson via a trade with Atlanta. The Nets re-signed big men Kris Humphries and Brook Lopez as well to go along with Gerald Wallace on the frontline.
Meanwhile, the Lakers added three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard last week in a four-team, 12-player deal that also included five future draft picks. Add to the fact that they had already brought in two-time MVP Steve Nash in a sign-and-trade with Phoenix, and it’s easy to see why they were graded so highly.
Benefiting from the Howard exodus from Orlando was Philly, adding their own All-Star center, Andrew Bynum, as well as sharpshooter Jason Richardson. But after sending Andre Iguodala to Denver in the deal and also amnestying new Mav Elton Brand, it’s hard to say just how improved the Sixers will be this upcoming season.
This brings us to the Mavericks, who saw a near-complete roster turnover after losing point guard Jason Kidd and sixth man Jason Terry in free agency. The Mavs also have yet to fill the void of departing offensive coordinator Terry Stotts, who accepted the head coaching job in Portland.
One thing that does remain, however, is 11-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki. Only this year he figures to have plenty of support around him.
With the additions of Brand and Chris Kaman, the Mavs will have two low-post scoring options that are significant upgrades from the amnestied Brendan Haywood and backup big man Ian Mahinmi, who was dealt in a sign-and-trade exchange with Indiana.
The Mavs also have more youth in the backcourt, getting back starter-caliber point guard Darren Collison and defensive specialist Dahntay Jones in the Mahinmi deal and also signing combo guard O.J. Mayo in free agency.
Re-signing guard Delonte West and drafting rookies Jared Cunningham, Bernard James and Jae Crowder also factored into the Mavs’ grade, now that the former champs are expected to have perhaps more talent and just as much depth as last year’s squad.
But just as the article detailed, the Mavs did lose some size at several positions and some of their interior defense when comparing to the 2011-12 team. Still, after heading into a summer of uncertainty and coming out perhaps even better than they were before, what grade would you give the Mavericks this offseason?
