The Dallas Mavericks just had their worst season ever in the Mark Cuban era last season. The Mavs finished just 33-49, in part because Cuban signaled the team to tank during the tail-end of the year.
Despite that down year, the Mavs didn’t make too many notable moves during this offseason. Apart from drafting Dennis Smith Jr. at No. 9 overall in the draft, they were relatively quiet during free agency apart from a handful of fringe signings.
As Cuban told Dime’s Oliver Maroney, that was all part of their plan this offseason. He was also high on two of their veteran pickups, Jeff Withey and Josh McRoberts, and their ability to contribute next season.
We wanted continuity, to get younger and to add in the draft. We did that. And I think people will be surprised by how much [Jeff] Withey and [Josh] McRoberts can contribute.
The 26-year-old Withey played sparingly behind Rudy Gobert on the Utah Jazz last season. His free agent stock also wasn’t helped by the domestic violence case filed by his former fiancee which surfaced during the playoffs. However, he’s a solid rim protector and could still improve offensively if given more opportunities in Dallas while backing up Nerlens Noel.
There’s also a chance McRoberts can be an effective backup big man for the Mavs. He’s a capable outside shooter and is a very good passer for his size. However, his productivity will largely depend on his health. He had an injury-plagued stint with the Miami Heat, as he played just 81 games in three seasons.
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