The Dallas Mavericks are a very good Playoff team, but it seems they are hitting their cap with this roster. Luka Doncic is a stud, obviously, but they are still not ready as a squad to make a deeper run in the postseason. Adding Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. was supposed to be a step in the right direction. However, while Hardaway did what was asked of him, it was painfully clear that Porzingis is not fit to be the second star of a team that has championship aspirations.
He cannot stay healthy and, when it counts most, he disappeared and was not able to influence the game to the degree that was expected. This summer was really the last opportunity, as they had cap space, to strengthen the squad in a massive way, but the front office decided to stick with the same team and spent that cap on Hardaway resigning. Next season, the Doncic supermax kicks in, and the Mavs will need to work with limited financial space.
However, what if the Mavericks were able to add two players from the 1990s to their squad? With Clyde Drexler and Dikembe Mutombo, Dallas becomes a contender of the highest degree.
Mavericks Dream 1990s Signings For Today
Dikembe Mutombo – inside presence, defense
The Mavericks, now more than ever, need a capable presence in the middle of the paint. The team has all of the offensive talent possible, with Doncic swinging passes to Porzingis and Hardaway on the wings, and that is when he decides against his own offensive genius. However, right now, they have two centers on their roster, and they are Boban Marjanovic and Moses Brown.
If they had Mutombo, they would be a force to be reckoned with. The former Hawk is a defensive stud and someone who can dictate the defensive duties as not many can. He led the league in blocks three times and averaged 2.8 blocks per game for his career. Additionally, he also averaged 10.3 rebounds, leading the league in that category for two years at the end of the 1990s. Mutombo was never a huge scoring threat, but his sheer presence on the offensive glass would be enough to get some points on the board.
As it was said above, however, offense is not something the team needs. Mutombo would be a great player to rely on with subpar defenders in Doncic and Hardaway in the backcourt of the squad. They are really not that difficult to pass, but if an intimidating figure like the seven-foot-two Congolese legend is waiting under the basket, guards and wings would be thinking twice about going inside the paint. It is clear that a Mutombo-type figure would be a necessity for the Mavericks to have if they want to seriously challenge.
Clyde Drexler – scoring, scoring, scoring
This one is a bit more simple – the second option behind Doncic. The Hall-of-Famer and 10-time All-Star would be the ideal complement to the team. As it was established previously, Porzings simply is not cut out to be the second option, as he crumbles under pressure and is unreliable, due to his injury history. Drexler, on the other hand, would be absolutely perfect.
The Glide was an offensive phenom, with averages up to 27 points per game in his career. Overall, he averaged 20.4 points and, if his rookie season is exempt, never averaged under 17 points for his whole career. Additionally, Drexler won the title with the Houston Rockets in 1995, playing second fiddle to center Hakeem Olajuwon. That means he was clearly comfortable not being the focal point of the offense, something he would not be in this hypothetical Mavericks team.
It would be an absolute delight to see Drexler's runs to the wings or the corner being met with laser-perfect Doncic passes. He could also completely take over games if Porzingis and Doncic are not hitting shots. Overall, Drexler would provide a lot of veteran presence, toughness, and intensity. He was also a relentless competitor, something this team clearly needs because Porzingis, who should be one of the leaders, does not seem to be focused all the time. Drexler would not only be that focused competitor, next to Doncic and Hardaway but could also use his clout to get Porzingis to work harder.
Overall, the Mavs are in a peculiar position, as this team is clearly not good enough to compete with the Lakers, Clippers, Bucks, or the Nets. However, with the two hypothetical additions to the squad, they would be on the top of the list, due to the glaring holes they would fill. A defensive-minded center and a second, reliable option in the offense sounds like exactly the two types of players this team desperately needs.
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