The suspension of the 2019-20 season was a buzzkill for Dallas Mavericks fans since the Mavs were on their way to making the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The franchise hasn't won a playoff series since winning the 2011 championship over LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and the Miami Heat.
Before the 2019-20 season was put to a halt, the Mavs were 40-27. All-Stars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis already have great chemistry on and off the floor. Doncic was averaging 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists, while Porzingis was putting up 19.2 markers and 9.5 boards as Luka's partner in crime.
To win it all, Dallas needs to get a third star next to Luka and KP. Fortunately, the 2020 free-agent class should have one player that could help the Mavs address this need.
DeMar DeRozan can become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines his 2020-21 player option with the San Antonio Spurs. Most pundits around the league expect that to happen since numerous reports have surfaced that the former Toronto Raptors fan-favorite is unhappy in San Antonio.
DeRozan is one of the best scorers in the NBA. However, he does most of his damage in the mid-range area instead of beyond the 3-point line. The four-time All-Star averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists for the Spurs in 2019-20 while shooting 52.6 percent from the field, 26.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 84.3 percent from the free-throw line.
The Mavs averaged 116.4 points per game this season. That was good for third in the NBA. However, Dallas has struggled to score the ball effectively when one of Doncic or Porzingis is on the bench.
With that being said, the Mavs would certainly be fortunate if they could have DeRozan serve as the team’s third option on offense. He has always been the first or second option in his career. Maybe being the third option will unlock the best of DeRozan.
Some Mavs fans might be reluctant to sign DeRozan since he's not a volume or effective 3-point shooter. That could cause some floor-spacing issues when DeMar, Luka, and KP are sharing the court together, but Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle could adjust his offense and lineups to accommodate DeRozan.
Carlisle could even stagger DeRozan with Luka and Porzingis so that the Mavs always have an All-Star scorer on the floor.
DeMar DeRozan has career NBA averages of 20.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Will Mavs owner Mark Cuban make the bold move of signing the high-flyer this offseason? Only time will tell.
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