The Dallas Mavericks' offseason has been a rousing success. They were able to offload Davis Bertans' contract on draft night and still land the prospect of their desires in Duke's Dereck Lively II in the process. The Mavs then used the trade exception acquired from offloading Bertans in a deal with the Sacramento Kings that netted them an additional first-round pick (which they used on Marquette's Olivier Maxence-Prosper) and Richaun Holmes.

Their busy offseason didn't end there. They re-signed Kyrie Irving to a fair three-year $120 million extension that satisfies both parties, re-signed a few other players like Dwight Powell, and acquired Boston's Grant Williams in a sign-and-trade while getting Williams at a good number (4 years $54 million). Williams was not the biggest move Dallas made, but maybe it's the most important. Because Williams personifies the biggest ingredient Dallas lacks: two-way players.

No versatility?

Just look up and down the Dallas Mavericks' roster and it isn't hard to see why they finished 25th in defensive rating last season. There just aren't many players who can defend well across one position, let alone multiple positions on the roster. Centers like Dwight Powell and JaVale McGee are relegated to drop coverage; guards' eyes perk up once they get a steady diet of that. Maxi Kleber is a switchy 4-5 hybrid but took a big step back in that direction last season. Outside of Josh Green, there aren't many wings on the Mavs' roster that can slide up or down a position defensively. They had one of those guys in Dorian Finney-Smith, but traded him away in the Kyrie Irving trade. Josh Green is another but he has limitations on offense. Outside of him are guards like Irving, Jaden Hardy, recently-re-acquired Seth Curry, and Tim Hardaway Jr., who have shown throughout their careers that defense isn't exactly their calling card.

Luka Doncic offers some defensive versatility for the Mavs mostly based on his size, but his effort level there comes and goes and mostly goes because of the immense burden he has to carry on offense. Williams will help here a lot. He'll likely take the biggest opposing threat no matter what position that player plays (and hopefully doesn't poke the bear the way he did Jimmy Butler in the Eastern Conference Finals). Williams has a lot of playoff experience defending big wings like Butler, Kevin Durant, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He's held his own there.

You can even ask him to take on a guard like Steph Curry and he can get the job done.

3-and-D shortage

Grant Williams can really defend multiple positions at 6-6 236 pounds, but he can help on offense too. He's a very good passer, especially as a connector.

Josh Green is as well.

The difference between Grant Williams and Josh Green, though, is Williams has more of a reputation as a shooter. Williams has shot at least 37% from three in each of the past three seasons. Green has been at 35.9% in each of the last two seasons. His sophomore season saw him shoot just 78 threes, but his volume (169 attempts) and effectiveness (40.2%) all rose in the 2022-23 season. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come with Green but it'd be nice to have a larger sample size to go off of.

There is with Williams. Over the last three regular seasons, he's shot 233-588 on catch-and-shoot threes according to NBA.com. That is great, but the Mavs need more than just him to provide two-way versatility. Green looks poised to become another of that type of player, but just him and Williams aren't enough to unlock different lineup combinations and sturdy enough defense to get the stops needed for Luka to carry them over the finish line. They tried adding Matisse Thybulle this offseason with a three-year $33 million offer sheet via their mid-level exception, but the Portland Trail Blazers matched it. Maybe they can try that again with restricted free agent PJ Washington; another player like Williams but offers more size as a small-ball five option than Williams. Olivier Maxence-Prosper has the defensive chops to contribute right away but has a ways to go as a shooter first.

The Mavs have had a great off-season. They've addressed their biggest need: defense. But they're still short on reliable two-way players that can lift them defensively in the playoffs. There's still time to add another piece or two there. The league awaits if they will.