The 2021-22 season proved to be a massive step in the right direction for the Dallas Mavericks. They made it to the Western Conference Finals in Jason Kidd's first season as the head coach and won 52 games, their most since the 2010-11 campaign. Disappointment and frustration surrounded the organization this past season though, as the Mavs won just 38 games and they failed to make the postseason.
Luka Doncic has been the face of this franchise since he was drafted in 2018, yet he alone was not able to carry the team to success during the 2022-23 season. Finding the help that Luka needs has been a point of emphasis from owner Mark Cuban himself, which is why Dallas made a big move at the trade deadline last year by acquiring Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets.
Despite all the controversy that has surrounded Irving through the years, the Mavs' need for another All-Star outweighed the risk that came with this trade. Not to mention, Cuban has stated multiple times that he envisions Irving being a long-term building block for the franchise and a player that is willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team.
“Kyrie just loves basketball and loves going to games, so no, I wasn't concerned about that, but we traded for him because we wanted him to be a long-term piece,” Cuban said on SiriusXM earlier this offseason. “I think Kyrie's just misunderstood. Everybody sees all the noise and everything around him, but when you actually talk to him, I like him. He's open, he's smart, he's always looking to learn things, and to me he's an interesting guy that's just misunderstood.”
Irving played well alongside Doncic in the 20 games he spent with the Mavericks last season, which is why he ultimately decided to return on a new three-year, $126 million contract. Now signed through the 2025-26 season, the eight-time All-Star guard is focused solely on competing for a championship with Luka.
Two players cannot win a championship alone, though, which is why Dallas continued to be aggressive in their hunt for more talent this summer. Aside from re-signing Irving, the Mavs ended up making multiple trades and signings in free agency in order to have a chance to get back in the playoffs and prove that their run to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 was no fluke.
Offseason additions and departures
Additions: F Grant Williams (free agency – BOS), G Seth Curry (free agency – BKN), F Derrick Jones Jr. (free agency – CHI), C Richaun Holmes (trade – SAC), G Dante Exum (free agency), C Dereck Lively II (draft), F Olivier-Maxence Prosper (draft)
Departures: F Reggie Bullock (trade – SAS), C Christian Wood (free agency – LAL), G Frank Ntilikina (free agency – CHA), F Davis Bertans (trade – OKC), C JaVale McGee (waived)
This offseason was all about finding ways to add more versatile, two-way talents who can play off of both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. As a result, the Mavs added depth at virtually every position, starting with addressing the need for a forward who could wear multiple hats at once while on the floor.
After trading Dorian Finney-Smith to the Nets in the deal to acquire Irving last season, Dallas was left with a hole on both sides of the ball, as they no longer had those gritty two-way secondary options they depended on so much. The Mavs are hopeful that Grant Williams will be able to fill this role and be an impactful secondary contributor who can play and guard any position.
Williams, who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Boston Celtics, joined the Mavericks on a four-year, $53 million contract via a sign-and-trade agreement. As part of this transaction, Reggie Bullock was sent to the San Antonio Spurs, along with a 2030 first-round swap. The Mavs also added two second-round picks in 2025 and 2028 from the Spurs at the expense of second-round picks in 2025 and 2030, both of which went to Boston.
Known for his tough-minded approach defensively and his ability to knock down three-point shots at a high rate from the corner, Williams will be labeled as one of his team's X-factors all season long. His goal is to make an impact right away, something he has spoken about since signing his new contract.
“One of the reasons I chose Dallas is because of the culture and the opportunity to win,” Williams told ClutchPoints this offseason. They were just a few pieces away from being a real threat this past season, and they were in need and looking to add someone like me who can do a lot of little things to impact winning. I want to make sure we go from being a bottom-tier defensive team to being one of the best in the league this upcoming year.”
Williams can really help the Mavs on the defensive side of the ball, as they ranked 24th in the league a season ago in defensive rating. From guards to other forwards to even some centers, the 24-year-old can almost be utilized the same way as P.J. Tucker, a veteran who has been in the league for quite a long time because of his defensive versatility.
Aside from Williams, the Mavericks made quite a few other moves in free agency, signing shooting guard Seth Curry and athletic forward Derrick Jones Jr. Curry, who spent two seasons with the organization earlier in his playing days, has shot at least 40 percent from beyond the three-point arc in every season of his nine-year career. He should prove to be very useful as a catch-and-shoot option alongside Doncic and Irving.
Jones comes over from the Chicago Bulls, and like Williams, he can be a swiss army knife type of player for this team. The Bulls utilized him as a small-ball center at times, and his length can really be a factor on defense. Where he could really do damage, though, is leaking out in transition, possibly being on the receiving end of numerous acrobatic, highlight-reel worthy passes from Doncic throughout the season.
Richaun Holmes is another interesting offseason addition for this team. After falling out of the rotation with the Sacramento Kings, Holmes ended up getting traded to Dallas during the NBA Draft. Behind Dwight Powell, who re-signed with the Mavs this offseason, Holmes will look to provide depth after averaging 10.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game over the last four seasons in Sacramento.
While they may not play much to begin their careers, Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper are two unique and lengthy prospects who present a lot of long-term defensive upside. After the team re-signed Powell and traded for Holmes, it is unlikely that Lively will be a contributing factor right away.
Prosper on the other hand is a 6'8″ forward with a 7'1″ wingspan that was one of the standout performers at this year's NBA Draft combine. He runs the floor really well and has a high understanding for seeing plays as they develop on both sides of the court. This is what could lead to him seeing minutes during his rookie year and making more of an impact coming out of the draft than Lively in Year 1.
There are a lot of new faces in the Mavericks' locker room heading into the 2023-24 season and many of them will be key contributors alongside this team's two stars. Whether or not this newfound depth can make a difference in this team's pursuit of a title comes down to who can stand out when Doncic or Irving are not on the court.
Who will be the third option?
While they ranked 12th in the league this past year in total bench points, it seemed like the Mavs were searching for answers on who would step up all season long. Following their trade for Irving, this team was a two-man show, receiving little to no production from those on their bench.
The secondary talents in Dallas will tell the tale for how the 2023-24 season will unfold, especially since they have more depth and better role players than they did a year ago.
Perhaps Tim Hardaway Jr. will once again step into a big role as a scoring weapon who can get going off the bench. He played in 71 games a season ago, coming off the bench in 26 of these games. It is possible that he could start at the small forward position, but it is more likely that the team will opt to go with a bigger, more impactful defender in Grant Williams there. Nonetheless, Hardaway has been in the league for a decade now and he's always been a steady secondary scorer for his team out on the perimeter.
Like Hardaway, Williams is also going to be leaned upon by the Mavericks on the offensive end of the floor. While known more for his defense, he shot just under 40 percent from three-point range this past year with the Celtics, and holding a greater role with a new team could bring out even more skill and potential.
Maxi Kleber is another seasoned veteran at the power forward position who Dallas leans on a lot. He's a reliable defender and a stretch big man who has hit some big shots from three-point range in his six years with the organization. The thing with Kleber, though, is that he does not possess great athleticism and isn't a reliable scorer.
What his role will look like is unknown at this time, but Josh Green is the player to keep an eye on in Dallas this upcoming year. Green is heading into his fourth season with the team and he will be playing with a chip on his shoulder after the Mavs did not look to extend his rookie contract. The 22-year-old can play a handful of positions and there is just something about the energy and style he plays with that resonates with his teammates.
Whether it is running in transition, hitting a big shot from the perimeter, or stepping up on defense, Green is a player that can be a true spark for his team coming off the bench. The Mavericks have shown an unwillingness to trade him through the years, which is why Green could continue to step out of the shadows and into a larger role with his team.
2023-24 season outlook
As long as Doncic is healthy, the Mavs will have a chance to win any game they play. This was true a season ago with Dallas losing a handful of close games, and the superstar is proving so this offseason with the Slovenian national team.
On a team with no other NBA talents, Doncic single-handedly led Slovenia to the quarter-finals of this summer's FIBA World Cup, and he did so while averaging 26.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. The Mavericks' star has proven time and time again to be one of the best players in the world, and next to Irving for a full season, this team has a chance to be special.
Both players are virtually impossible to guard one-on-one and they can make plays for each other given their unselfishness as passers. Dallas also has added shooting depth with the additions of Williams and Curry, giving the All-Stars more options other than attacking the basket every possession.
After snapping their three-year playoff streak last season, getting back to the playoffs will depend on the Mavericks' ability to defend. Doncic and Irving will put them in a position to succeed offensively and their pace of play will help dictate the tempo of every game they take the floor for.
However, the Mavs must lock in and play with the same force defensively that they did during the 2021-22 season, a year in which they made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals. Going from missing the playoffs to being one of the last teams standing in the conference is certainly not out of the realm of possibilities for this organization, but ranking 24th in defensive rating will not get the job done.
Dallas was abysmal defending their opponents out on the perimeter a season ago and they had no defensive anchor around the rim that summoned fear within their opponents when attacking the paint. This team still lacks size and shot blocking abilities at the center position, other than the rookie Lively, but this offseason did bring defensive upgrades.
Energy and effort should be the two points of emphasis for the Mavs heading into the new year, as this is what can help set them apart from older, less athletic teams in the West. It won't be easy for them to make it back to the playoffs and the Mavericks have a lot to prove before they are back to being one of the favorites in the conference.
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