Current Roster
PG: Dennis Smith Jr./JJ Barea/Devin Harris
SG: Wesley Matthews/Seth Curry/Nicolas Brussino
SF: Harrison Barnes/Dorian Finney-Smith
PF: Dwight Powell/Jared Uthoff
C: Salah Mejri/AJ Hammons
2017 Free Agents
Unrestricted
F Dirk Nowitzki
G DeAndre Liggins
Restricted
C Nerlens Noel
Who They Drafted
1-9 Dennis Smith Jr, PG North Carolina State
The Mavericks may have lucked into the steal of the first round (though luck and rival GM ineptitude are interchangeable in this case), and got a player with limitless potential that fits perfectly in their system. Rick Carlisle's offenses always create a ton of space to operate, which suits Dennis Smith's game perfectly, as he is one of the quickest, most explosive players in the draft and giving him extra room will make it even easier for him to break down defenses and get to the rim unimpeded. Smith will have Nerlens Noel as a role man and Dirk Nowtizki, the best pick-and-pop player in NBA history, to run with. When Nowitzki sets a screen, it draws so much attention that even the least effective guards have an advantage getting to the rim, and Smith is far from ineffective. If he starts, Smith could easily be in the running for Rookie of the Year because he'll get so many high efficiency looks and have quality shooters and scorers to dish the ball to, something he is more than capable of. One should never get too far ahead of themselves when it comes to NBA prospects, but provided Smith and Carlisle can work together, it is hard to see how this doesn't work out exceptionally well for the Mavs.
What They Need Going Forward
Dirk Nowitzki will obviously return and it is highly likely they will get Nerlens Noel back as well, which gives them a pretty solid starting five, leaving only depth signings. Aside from their glut of smaller guards, (a position they can deal from if they so desire) many of the Mavericks backups are unproven, so they make look to sign some veterans at the forward and center spots. A defensive wing like Thabo Sefolosha or CJ Miles would make a lot of sense, as would a solid vet big such as Amir Johnson. A trade using Wesley Matthews is also a posibility, as he has a lot of fans around the NBA. If a rare miss of the playoffs, the Mavericks look like their back on track to return to the post season.
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Showing posts with label dallas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dallas. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Saturday, July 4, 2015
2015 Draft Review: Dallas Mavericks
PG: Devin Harris/Raymond Felton
SG: Wes Matthews
SF: Chandler Parsons/Justin Anderson
PF: Dirk Nowitzki/Dwight Powell
C: DeAndre Jordan
2015 Free Agents
C Bernard James (RFA)
F Al-Farouq Aminu
G J.J. Barea
C Tyson Chandler
G Monta Ellis
SF Richard Jefferson
PG Rajon Rondo
C Greg Smith
PF Amar'e Stoudemire
F Charlie Villanueva
What They Did On Draft Night
Drafted Virginia forward Justin Anderson 21st overall
The Mavericks rarely use their draft picks and literally haven't developed any of them in recent years, so I wouldn't get my hopes too high that Justin Anderson is on the Mavericks at the end of his rookie contract, but that doesn't mean he can't have a successful NBA career. If Anderson isn't traded, he could be an important part of the Mavericks rotation soon because Dallas has a ton invested in their starting lineup, but little depth elsewhere. Anderson is also the type of player Dallas needs, a strong defensive-minded NBA athlete that can guard multiple positions and cover for some of their less effective defensive players. Anderson can play shooting guard, wing, and power forward so he can fill in for either Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons, or Wes Matthews. That matters because Dirk is 37 and both Parsons and Matthews are coming off of serious injuries. Where Anderson will really become valuable for Dallas is if his shooting last season was not a fluke and he can make threes at an above-average rate. Pick-and-rolls/pops with DeAndre Jordan and Dirk respectively will be a major part of the Mavs offense, so the spacing Anderson can give will give those players some extra room to operate.
The Mavericks rarely use their draft picks and literally haven't developed any of them in recent years, so I wouldn't get my hopes too high that Justin Anderson is on the Mavericks at the end of his rookie contract, but that doesn't mean he can't have a successful NBA career. If Anderson isn't traded, he could be an important part of the Mavericks rotation soon because Dallas has a ton invested in their starting lineup, but little depth elsewhere. Anderson is also the type of player Dallas needs, a strong defensive-minded NBA athlete that can guard multiple positions and cover for some of their less effective defensive players. Anderson can play shooting guard, wing, and power forward so he can fill in for either Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons, or Wes Matthews. That matters because Dirk is 37 and both Parsons and Matthews are coming off of serious injuries. Where Anderson will really become valuable for Dallas is if his shooting last season was not a fluke and he can make threes at an above-average rate. Pick-and-rolls/pops with DeAndre Jordan and Dirk respectively will be a major part of the Mavs offense, so the spacing Anderson can give will give those players some extra room to operate.
Drafted Indian center Satnam Singh Bhamara 52nd overall
While there are definitely some ulterior motives in the drafting of Bhamara, the first Indian player to ever be drafted, the Mavericks are committed to develop him in the D-League. A 7-2, 290 pound nineteen year-old, Singh needs to first improve his body to increase mobility and vertical explosiveness, plodding centers are a dying breed in the NBA, then it is a matter of gaining skills. Bhamara is huge, but so is Roy Hibbert, and that gains players nothing without footwork, touch, body positioning, and vertical force. Satnam pushed around much smaller players in high school, something that isn't going to serve him much at the next level.
Follow me on Twitter @double_tech
While there are definitely some ulterior motives in the drafting of Bhamara, the first Indian player to ever be drafted, the Mavericks are committed to develop him in the D-League. A 7-2, 290 pound nineteen year-old, Singh needs to first improve his body to increase mobility and vertical explosiveness, plodding centers are a dying breed in the NBA, then it is a matter of gaining skills. Bhamara is huge, but so is Roy Hibbert, and that gains players nothing without footwork, touch, body positioning, and vertical force. Satnam pushed around much smaller players in high school, something that isn't going to serve him much at the next level.
Follow me on Twitter @double_tech
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