With the season in hiatus, there’s plenty of time to look back. The Dallas Mavericks have exceeded most expectations this season and were well on their way to a playoff berth. The Mavericks transactions played a major role in this, alongside Luka Doncic‘s rise to stardom, of course. It was an important offseason where they made several acquisitions and retained important pieces.
Grading the Dallas Mavericks 2019-20 Transactions
Trades
The first trade the Mavericks made that impacted their rotation was acquiring Delon Wright from the Memphis Grizzlies in July. This came at the price of two future second-round picks. Wright was expected to be a starter, but this didn’t last long. Doncic is the team’s primary ball-handler. That’s not a knock on Wright, but very few players can expect to be placed over Doncic. Wright is not one of them.
With this being said, Wright has been performing well. His averages this season sit at roughly seven points, four rebounds, and three assists per game. This also comes at a solid 47-39-79 percent shooting split. He’s not relied upon on offense as much as defense, however. Wright has great size for a guard and is a strong defender. It’s apparent he wants a larger role, but the Mavericks transaction of Wright has earned a grade of a B.
The next trade came in late January when Dallas acquired Willie Cauley-Stein from the Golden State Warriors for a 2020 second-round pick. The former lottery pick was brought in as relief after Dwight Powell‘s season-ending injury. Cauley-Stein hasn’t had the opportunity to show his skills yet, but his contract is definitely low-risk, high-reward. Acquiring a center with his high-flying athleticism and shot-blocking skills gives the transaction a grade of a B as well.
Players Re-signed
The Mavericks transactions included re-signing some important pieces. The first, of course, was Kristaps Porzingis. His improvement is evident, and he will form a star duo with Doncic for years to come. Porzingis is an excellent scorer and defender and can play both the four and five. Sure, he was given a max contract, but he’s only 24. This earns a grade of an A- and may very well become even better.
Re-signing Dorian Finney-Smith and Maxi Kleber was also key for Dallas. Finney-Smith has developed into an almost ideal “three-and-d” option. He’s the best wing defender on the team and has greatly improved his outside shooting. He continues to improve and his contract is one of great value. Kleber is very similar. Also a strong defender, the German is a big man who can also play both the four and five and stretch the floor. He can start or come off the bench and performs well in both roles. Like Finney-Smith, his contract also presents great value. These signings both earn a grade of an A.
Dwight Powell had been playing well prior to his major injury. The athletic center is a great pick-and-roll option alongside Doncic. There are many areas in his game that could see improvement, however, especially his rebounding for a big man. Many could say he was overpaid to an extent as well, and his injury doesn’t help the cause. This earns a grade of a C.
J.J. Barea is a veteran and long-time Maverick. At 35-years-old, he still has the capability to be a spark plug off the bench. The Mavericks needed an experienced veteran like him, whether he plays or not, and his contract is decent value. This earns a grade of a B.
New Additions
The Mavericks transactions included three new additions that found themselves in the rotation.
The biggest name is Seth Curry. He relinquished his reputation as “Stephen Curry‘s brother” this season, as he made it clear that he’s one of the game’s most elite shooters. He became a starter for the team, has great offensive confidence, and can hold his own on defense. His shooting splits for the season are very impressive at 50-45-84 percent. In the team’s last ten games before the season’s suspension, Curry was averaging 21 points per game shooting 65 percent from the field and 61 percent from three. His contract is also great value for this kind of production, earning his signing a grade of an A.
Boban Marjanovic was added for big man depth. There weren’t huge expectations for him but he certainly became a fan favorite quickly (as expected). Marjanovic is massive at 7’4″ and 290 pounds. and is solid in the paint and in rebounding. He also has a decent outside shot that many teams may not expect. As a matter of fact, he led the Mavericks to victory over the Denver Nuggets in their last game with 31 points and 17 rebounds. His signing earns a grade of a B+.
The last signing was Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in February after he was bought out by the Charlotte Hornets. Kidd-Gilchrist doesn’t offer much besides defense, but that’s exactly why he was brought in. The Mavericks know they have an issue with wing depth, so they wanted more defense versus the West’s elite wings. This singing earns an incomplete grade, as Kidd-Gilchrist had barely seen the floor before the hiatus.
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