The Dallas Mavericks have been active in free agency to improve their roster after making it to the NBA Finals. The Mavericks have committed to building around their star duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in pursuit of a title.
Dallas' trade deadline acquisitions of PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford were pivotal in their second-half improvement. Washington and Gafford added defense and athleticism around their star duo.
Doncic put up an MVP-caliber campaign, averaging 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. The 25-year-old shot 48.7 percent from the field and a career-high 38.2 percent from three. Doncic finished third for the MVP award behind Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but many felt he deserved the award.
Irving also had a great season, as he averaged 25.6 points, five rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. The 32-year-old shot 49.7 percent from the floor and 41.1 percent from behind the arc.
Doncic and Irving are the best backcourt in the league, and heading into the 2024-25 season, the front office has brought in reinforcements. The additions should help the Mavs remain one of the best teams in the NBA.
With that said, here are our free agency grades for every Mavericks signing.
Klay Thompson
The Mavs added four-time NBA Champion and five-time All-Star Klay Thomspon in a sign-and-trade. The deal sent two second-round picks to the Golden State Warriors (GSW rerouted them) and Josh Green to the Charlotte Hornets to complete the deal. Dallas inked Thompson to a three-year $50 million deal.
Thompson is a three-point sniper and a solid defensive player. The 34-year-old isn't the All-Star he once was but is still a solid contributor. He averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Thompson shot 43.2 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from deep. The veteran will be an impactful off-ball shooter, with Doncic and Irving putting a ton of pressure on opposing defenses.
Washington is excited about the addition of Thompson, saying, “It's going to be super tough. You can't leave (Thompson). He's a knock-down shooter, and obviously you've got Luka and Kyrie that do what they do. “It's only going to help myself and guys around me to be better just playing with guys like that. They're going to draw all the attention, and like I said, it's going to be open shots for everybody.”
Thompson is an impactful addition and will take over the starting small forward role for the Mavs. He will be pivotal for Dallas in the upcoming season as they look to make it back to the NBA Finals.
Grade: B+
Naji Marshall
An underrated signing that the Mavs made was adding forward Naji Marshall. Marshall signed a three-year $27 million deal with Dallas to be a key rotational forward. The 26-year-old forward was a key piece for the New Orleans Pelicans rotation in the 2023-24 campaign.
Marshall averaged 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. The six-foot-seven forward shot 46.3 percent from the floor and 38.7 percent from downtown. Marshall is known for his defense and proved he can knock the three-ball down at an efficient clip.
While Thompson will be in the starting lineup, Marshall will take over the Derrick Jones Jr. role. Marshall will be a key piece off the bench and a spot starter when someone goes down with an injury.
Grade: A-
Spencer Dinwiddie
Dallas was able to land Spencer Dinwiddie on a one-year veteran minimum contract. Dinwiddie previously played one and a half seasons for the Mavs from 2021-2023. The 31-year-old guard finished his 2023-24 season as a backup for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dinwiddie averaged 6.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, shooting 39.7 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from distance. Having played for Dallas previously, Dinwiddie already has chemistry with Doncic.
Dinwiddie will likely be the lead guard off the bench, which includes Naji Marshall, Daniel Gafford, Jaden Hardy, Maxi Kleber, and Dante Exum. Dinwiddie will be a key piece in a Mavs rotation with a plethora of depth.
Adding a player of Dinwiddie's caliber on a minimum contract is a steal.
Grade: A
The Mavericks have been actively upgrading their roster this offseason. In addition to acquiring Thompson via sign-and-trade and signing Marshall and Dinwiddie in free agency, Dallas traded for young wing Quentin Grimes. Grimes will be a key three-and-d wing off the bench.
The Mavs should be excited about the upcoming season as their additions have bolstered their roster and will be in contention for the 2025 title.
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