Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving will be crucial to whatever hopes of success Dallas has in 2023-24.
No question, the Dallas Mavericks light up scoreboards with ease behind one of the NBA’s most lethal backcourts in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Finishing sixth in offensive rating (116.1) in 2022-23, the Mavericks re-signed Irving in free agency, before addressing the team’s most significant flaws on defense through the Draft and free agency.
Dallas used a lottery pick to bring aboard Dereck Lively II, an athletic big man that may be able to contribute as a rookie. Additionally, the Mavs grabbed a potential perimeter stopper in Olivier-Maxence Prosper before capping an active offseason with the sign-and-trade acquisition of Grant Williams, as well as the additions of Dante Exum and Derrick Jones Jr.
What’s new?
- Williams appears to be an ideal fit for Dallas, providing much needed defensive versatility, but there’s still some concern about how the Mavericks will match up against the Western Conference’s bevy of talented guards.
- Credited with Rudy Gobert’s ascension to a three-time Kia Defensive Player of the Year, former longtime Utah Jazz assistant coach Alex Jensen joined Dallas’ staff with an eye toward developing Lively.
- The signings of Exum and Jones should help improve the defense while upping the group’s overall athleticism. Dallas also made sure to provide better perimeter shooting by bringing back guard Seth Curry, who has two previous stints (2016-17 and 2019-20) with the Mavericks.
How far can the Mavericks go?
Dallas fell back significantly in 2022-23, failing to miss the postseason after a Western Conference Finals run in 2022. Prolific offense and solid defense made that possible, which is why the Mavericks leaned heavily toward improving the team’s 25th-rated (116.1) defense. Dallas can claim 2023-24 a success if it can advance to the West semis, especially if Lively and Prosper are playing meaningful minutes by season’s end.
1 player that must take a leap
Dwight Powell. The Mavericks re-signed Powell in July, but the team wants to upgrade the center position. Expect Dallas to open competition for the starting spot with Powell and newly-acquired veteran Richaun Holmes battling it out for the job. Powell has the inside track at winning the start due to his familiarity with Doncic and the Mavericks’ system. But don’t overlook Holmes, who averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 61 starts (2020-21) for Sacramento the season before it traded for All-Star Domantas Sabonis.
In-Season Tournament
The Mavericks are in West Group B. Here’s a refresher on how the In-Season Tournament works.
Upcoming free agents
The Dallas Mavericks have seven players that will be free agents in 2024.
- Dexter Dennis
- Joe Wieskamp
- Derrick Jones Jr.
- Greg Brown III
- Mike Miles Jr.
- Jordan Walker
- Markieff Morris
Mavericks governor Mark Cuban told Sirius XM NBA Radio that big man Richaun Holmes might turn out to be Dallas’ “most underrated pickup of the summer.” That would bode well for both the center and a squad working hard to upgrade that position. Holmes’ deal includes a nearly $12.9 million player option for 2024-25, while Green, a pending restricted free agent, is coming off a career season and is extension eligible until Oct. 24. Jones is on a one-year contract, but the versatile defensive-minded forward could find a long-term home in Dallas, especially if he improves on his career-best 33.8% 3-point shooting from the 2022-23 season.
Dallas’ full roster can be found here.
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Michael C. Wright is a senior writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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