The National Basketball Association (NBA) consists of 30 teams, each representing their own city. The Dallas Mavericks (Mavs) play in the NBA’s heavily talented Western Conference. With their aging superstar, Dirk Nowitzki, now approaching 40 years of age, the Mavs have suffered through numerous losing seasons due to a lack of talent. With their last season record (24-58) being the worst since their 1998-1999 season, the Mavs had to make huge trades and drafts in the offseason to send Dirk’s career off on a high note and to try to fill the void of his impending retirement. While the moves that they made are surely not enough to dethrone the infamously skilled Golden State Warriors roster, the reigning NBA champions, but they are most likely going to be beneficial in the long run. Despite some potential missteps, fans can expect positive momentum from the Mavs as they attempt to make good on a roster that still includes the veteran Nowitzki.

1. Trading/Drafting for Luka Dončić

Going into the 2018 draft, the Mavs were only given the 5th pick and were not expected to achieve anything monumental. However, making a blockbuster trade, they acquired the rookie, Luka Dončić. Drafting the heavily anticipated Dončić out of the Euroleague was one of the Mav’s crowning achievements of the offseason. At 6’7”, Dončić is described by experts as being an exceedingly well-rounded player with extreme playmaking skills. Combining his talents with the Mav’s highflying sophomore player, Dennis Smith Jr., makes for a great young tandem that has an unspeakable amount of potential.

Even though his NBA career is still in infancy, Dončić is most likely to provide the Mavs with a new European star to replace the aging Dirk Nowitzki.

2. Acquiring DeAndre Jordan

In 2015, despite verbally agreeing to the Mavs that he would sign with them during free agency, the Los Angeles Clipper’s center, DeAndre Jordan, later decided not to. However, with the Mavs struggling in the big man position and overall rebounding (ranked 27th in the league in rebounds) they continued to pursue Jordan for his rebounding and athletic skill set. Once surrounded by stars, Jordan does not mind being one of the secondary options to Dončić and officially signed with the Mavs in early July.

Jordan’s playstyle and effect on the court will make him the perfect match for the Mavs and will undoubtedly bolster the team’s weaknesses. He can also play the role of “mentor” and teach his younger teammates his signature and effective playstyle. Although his signing will undoubtedly greatly benefit the Mavs now, it may take some persuading to keep him on the roster due to the fact that he only signed a one year deal. Being a player that enjoys the simple pick-and-roll play, however, it likely will not take much convincing.

3. Re-signing Dirk Nowitzki

Mavs fans know that Dirk Nowitzki is not only greatest player to ever play on the team, he is one of the greatest players of all time. However, being a 40 year old 7-footer playing against athletic young talents, the aging Dirk has recently not been able to produce as much as he used to. Regardless, the Mavs staff and fans have a special place in their heart for Dirk due to his 20 year loyalty to the team.

Despite his climbing age, Dirk continues to play to support the fans and to climb even higher on the all-time scoring list (ranked 6th). Like Jordan, Dirk can play the mentor role and teach the younger core of the team with his prior experience in the league. In general, this re-sign kept Dirk’s legacy alive while keeping the Mav fans happy.

4. Other Signings

One move that went almost unnoticed was the re-signing of Salah Mejri, one of the Mav’s centers. Although, Mejri provides some coverage on the defensive end and isn’t deterred by playing off the bench, he is not the most productive player on the court and is described by Fansided to have a “very limited skill-set and might take away playing time from the younger centers” (Fansided). Overall, this was not a strong signing by the Mavs.

After trading Seth Curry to the Portland Trailblazers, the Mavs lost most of their outside shooting. However, Ryan Broekhoff appeared on the Mav’s radar and showed potential to fill the shooting void. Not much has been seen out of Broekhoff in the NBA yet, but he averaged decent stats in the Euroleague on efficient shooting. Even though it is not likely that he will become a star, it is possible that Dirk could teach him the ways of shooting the ball to improve his game.

The final Mavs re-signing was Devin Harris, a 35 year-old veteran who has previously played for the Mavs. All signs point to the fact that this signing was purely for nostalgic reasons and to remind the Mavs fans that he played there before.  Nostalgia aside, this was not a good move by the Mavs.

5. Late Round Draftings

Other than Dončić, no one out of the draft appeared to be a future perennial talent. However, many of the Mavs fans liked the drafting of Jalen Brunson, a guard from Villanova. Brunson’s performance in March Madness helped lead his team to the title and showcased his talent. However, we have yet to see much of him except in the summer league and preseason where he struggled. Although he hasn’t had a great start, there is still hope that he can provide the Mavs with some backup support.

Kostas Antetokounmpo, brother of the potential future face of the league, Giannis Antetokounmpo, drafted at the 60th overall pick by the Mavs. Again, not much has been seen out of Kostas, but he has already been drawing comparisons to some other solid players in the league. If Kostas is even half of what his brother is, then the Mavs would be happy to welcome him to the roster.

Overall

Overall, the Mavs made some big and potentially great moves this offseason. From drafting Luka Dončić to signing DeAndre Jordan, the Mavs, so far, appear to be on their way to a promising future. Young talent and veterans appear everywhere on the roster, making for a perfectly balanced squad. Even if there were a few hiccups in the road, such as the re-signings of Mejri and Harris, they don’t take away from the fact that the offseason is over and the Mavs emerged as one of the top dogs. Dirk can likely rest assured that his story book career will go out on a high note.

Grade:

A-