A few weeks before the start of the regular season, DNA of Sports begins its traditional presentation, franchise by franchise, of the upcoming NBA season. Like every year, this takes the form of a countdown, from the teams expected at the bottom of the ranking to our favorite for the champion title. Today, place for Mavericksone of the big disappointments of last season.
After the disputed and lost conference final against the Warriors in 2022, the Mavericks seemed to have found the right formula, but very quickly, we understood that there was a problem…
The Texans had a string of very disappointing results and Mark Cuban tried a gamble in February, bringing in Kyrie Irving. The shock did not take place because the defense was too weak to enhance the offensive qualities of Luka Doncic and the former Nets leader. The Dallas players were even whistled by their audience: ” It is deserved ” slipped the Slovenian, when Kyrie Irving spoke of a “ beautiful shit » in which he had just disembarked…
No playoffs, nor “play-in” therefore, and the season even ended with an all-too-visible “tanking” in order to keep a first round of the Draft. Result: the NBA fined the franchise $750,000! A sad conclusion to an equally sad and disappointing season.
Defensive recruitment
To bounce back, the Mavericks maneuvered rather well, with the arrivals of Grant Williams, Dante Exum, Derrick Jones Jr. and Seth Curry. Here are four players who will provide defense and versatility for the first three, and outside shooting and therefore space for the Irving-Doncic duo for the second. To these four, we must add Richaun Holmes with an interior profile that Dallas did not possess. In addition, Mark Cuban decided to extend two “role players” (Dwight Powell and Markieff Morris) and especially Kyrie Irving.
On paper, the squad seems more balanced, stronger defensively but there remain big question marks. We think first of the Irving-Doncic complicity, and more generally of their ability to play with others. And then there is defensive solidity, with an interior sector under construction. Dwight Powell is a good soldier, but limited, and rookie Derek Lively II has a lot of pressure on his shoulders because it is perhaps his development, and the speed of it, which will determine Dallas’ success…
Furthermore, the Doncic-Irving pair will have to seriously defend against the best pairs of backs in the league, and there is work to be done in the West. Finally, there are always the doubts surrounding Jason Kidd.
SUMMER MOVEMENTS
Arrivals: Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper (Draft), Richaun Holmes (Kings), Dante Exum (Partizan), Grant Williams (Celtics), Seth Curry (Nets), Derrick Jones Jr. (Bulls)
Departures: Davis Bertans (Thunder), Justin Holiday (Nuggets), Reggie Bullock (Rockets), Frank Ntilikina (Hornets), JaVale McGee (Kings), Christian Wood (Lakers)
PLAYER TO WATCH: KYRIE IRVING
After breaking his roster, Mark Cuban couldn’t let Kyrie Irving leave, and so he extended him at a high price. It’s a risky choice since his duo with Luka Doncic didn’t really convince. They are two formidable soloists, and we have already experienced exceptional “one-two punches”. Except that both need the ball to shine, and there is only one.
Clearly, it’s up to Kyrie Irving, best shooter, to move to position 2, and he did it very well in Cleveland alongside LeBron James. The key to Dallas’ success lies in the ability of “Uncle Drew” to adapt to Luka Doncic, but also to raise his defensive level.
Because who will take care of Stephen Curry, Jamal Murray or even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? Next to the nervous Luka Doncic, we therefore expect Kyrie Irving to shine with his sense of sacrifice and his altruism. The challenge is certainly complicated but, at 31, he must embark on a new path to make his career bounce back.
Average age: 27.3 years
Payroll: $172.5 million (14th)
THE IDEAL SCENARIO
Management hit the mark with the addition of Grant Williams whose impact is immediately felt in defense. Every night, he sacrifices himself on the best opposing attackers, and his “PJ Tucker” role allows soloists Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to shine.
Derek Lively II is the very good pick of this Draft. Trained by Alex Jensen, who took care of Rudy Gobert at the Jazz, he intimidated more than Dwight Powell and he stabilized the Dallas defense. Same impact for Richaun Holmes whom Mark Cuban considers “ the most underrated rookie » of his team.
With a more balanced squad, filled with good soldiers capable of taking advantage of the attention generated by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, while compensating for the limitations of the two stars on the other side of the field, Dallas allows its “backcourt” to flourish. focus on scoring and creation, and as is often the case in the NBA, talent makes the difference. Brilliant in attack, and more solid in defense, the Mavericks finished in the Top 6 to avoid play-in.
THE WORST SCENARIO
As one might have feared after seeing them play in preseason, the Mavericks are maintaining the momentum from the end of last season. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving step on each other’s toes, and above all Jason Kidd offers nothing in the game. Tactically, it is very weak, and everything depends on the choices of the “backcourt”.
Certainly, there is a little more energy in defense, but the team does not manage to really string together victories, which frustrates the two leaders, their bad energy weighing on the whole group…
Kyrie Irving thus isolates himself more and more from his teammates, when Luka Doncic spends his time complaining about the referees and “forgetting” to fall back on defense. After two months and a largely negative assessment, Mark Cuban finally sacrificed Jason Kidd in the hope of saving the season, and at least securing a place in the playoffs.
