Undoubtedly, this has been one of the best Dallas Mavericks offseasons in team history as the offseason draws to a sluggish conclusion. The Mavericks have certainly established themselves as a new destination for potential free agents in the future, even if Dallas’ decision to sign and trade for Klay Thompson doesn’t work out as planned. The front office culture of the Mavericks has completely changed from where it was a few years ago.
President of Basketball Operations Nico Harrison has transformed the Mavericks into a championship-caliber organization in every way, making them a far more desirable place to be. As a result, Dallas can now realistically hope to sign marquee free agents, especially with Kyrie Irving and other players helping to lure players to the Mavericks.
Although the majority of Dallas’ free agency signings have already been finalized, there have been rumors circulating that the Mavericks may add a point-of-attack defender or ball handler to this team with the final roster spot. Dallas is lacking a little spark from the bench at the two-guard position because both Josh Green and Tim Hardaway Jr. were traded this offseason.
Mavericks blow a fantastic opportunity to sign Russell Westbrook.
While Dallas may try to solve this problem internally, the last step in getting this Mavericks club back to the NBA Finals the next season may be to recruit a rotation-caliber defender who can also handle the ball.
Russell Westbrook is expected to sign with the Denver Nuggets following his buyout of the Utah Jazz. Dallas has been linked to a number of targets who fit the mold of that kind of player, but they just let one of them go to one of the most powerful teams in the Western Conference.
To be clear, after Westbrook was dealt from the LA Clippers to the Jazz and then bought out, the Mavericks were never considered as a possible bidder for him. However, there is no doubt that the Mavericks could have utilized his energy off the bench.
Dallas was eager to acquire more depth to their backcourt off the bench, and Westbrook would have made a valuable addition.
Although Westbrook’s poor shooting performance in the Mavericks’ opening round Playoff matchup this past spring may have left Mavericks supporters wondering how the 35-year-old guard would have benefited Dallas, he is still a fantastic athlete who can set up offensive plays and provide infectious energy on the defensive end of the court.
Westbrook is still an excellent driver and transition finisher who could pressure Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic into making plays. In the correct situation, he would have been a productive bench player for the Mavericks.
Although Westbrook’s shooting performance has clearly declined over the last two seasons, he may still have made a difference for the Mavericks, even if Dallas probably has better options when it comes to playmakers and perimeter defenders.
Given how well Dallas performed in free agency, the Mavericks should be able to resolve this issue before the new season begins. With the way the Western Conference is loaded, it might even be the difference between the Mavericks and a return trip to the Finals.
Stay tuned as we will keep you updated on the Dallas Mavericks throughout the remainder of the offseason.