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The Dallas Mavericks made a franchise-changing move in January when they traded Dennis Smith Jr. Wesley Matthews, and DeAndre Jordan for a package that included one of the most unique players in the game: Kristaps Porzingis.
Porzingis was mending from a torn ACL and did not suit up for the Mavs in the 2018-19 season. It remains to be seen how healthy he will be to start the 2019-20 season, and Mark Cuban has already said that the big man will be on restricted minutes.
Let's assume the best-case scenario for the Mavs and Porzingis, and say he comes back at full health. Will it be enough to push the Mavs to a playoff spot?
First, let's take a look at Porzingis' numbers. Before he was injured in the 2017-18 season, Porzingis was averaging 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. He was shooting the ball at a 44 percent clip, and 39.5 percent from downtown. Obviously, the Unicorn was viewed as one of the best players in the game.
The Mavs already have a star player in the making in Luka Doncic. The 20-year-old Slovenian phenom blew NBA audiences away with his maturity, shot-making ability, and basketball IQ. It's likely that Doncic takes another step in the right direction next year, and not crazy to assume he has a shot at an All-Star spot.
After Doncic and Porzingis, the Mavs have compiled quite a deep roster.
Let's look at the presumptive starters alongside Doncic and Porzingis. Delon Wright is a point guard who showed he can score last year and is a plus defender. Tim Hardaway Jr. is a streaky player but can shoot lights out when he is on. Dwight Powell provides some floor spacing with his improved jumper and plenty of athleticism.
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Now to the bench. Boban Marjanoivc provides solid frontcourt depth and will step in when Porzingis needs games off. Jalen Brunson has proved he belongs in this league, and he and JJ Barea are both good options off the bench. Seth Curry is one of the top shooters in the league, and Dorian Finney Smith is a bit of a jack of all trades who has discovered his shot and might be the teams best perimeter defender.
It doesn't look like the Mavs have many weak spots on their roster, but they don't really have anyone outside their top two players that really stand out. They will be well rounded, but not overpowering.
Dallas posted a record of 33-49 last season, 14th in the Western Conference. They ranked 21st out of 30 in points per game, and 13th out of 30 in opponent points per game.
Adding Porzingis will likely bump both these categories. Unfortunately for the Mavs, three teams in the West significantly improved (Lakers, Clippers, Jazz), two made important tweaks/improvements (Rockets, Blazers) and one stood pat with an already excellent roster (Nuggets).
Porzingis is a great player, and a full season of his play with limited minutes will likely get the Mavs 8-12 more wins next season. This will probably put them in the area of the tenth seed, still put of playoff contention. It might be a different story in the much weaker Eastern Conference, but the West is a brutal conference to play in at the moment.
Even in the best-case scenario, it's a safe bet to say that the Mavs will need at least one or two years before becoming serious contenders again.
