{"id":82726,"date":"2024-06-24T17:04:06","date_gmt":"2024-06-24T21:04:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=82726"},"modified":"2024-06-24T17:04:06","modified_gmt":"2024-06-24T21:04:06","slug":"2024-nba-offseason-preview-whats-next-for-the-dallas-mavericks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/06\/24\/2024-nba-offseason-preview-whats-next-for-the-dallas-mavericks\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 NBA Offseason Preview: What\u2019s Next For The Dallas Mavericks?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Dallas Mavericks offseason priority is surrounding Luka Doncic<\/a> with the right team to get back to the finals. Following an impressive regular season topped off by a deep finals run, the Mavericks will look to improve on last season\u2019s success, but with little wiggle room to work with.<\/p>\n

2024 NBA Offseason Preview: What\u2019s Next For The Dallas Mavericks?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Season Recap<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Dallas Mavericks<\/a> offseason changes will follow a disappointing NBA Finals performance. Before ending the seasons of the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas, in turn, had their season ended by the Boston Celtics<\/a>, who crushed the Mavericks in five games. A lack of offensive productivity from several key Mavs players contributed to their downfall.<\/p>\n

After an outstanding regular season,\u00a0<\/span>Kyrie Irving<\/span><\/a>\u00a0did not play well, to say the least, in the finals and was hit a miss during the first three playoff rounds. Notable players like\u00a0<\/span>P.J. Washington<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Derrick Jones Jr<\/span><\/a>., and\u00a0<\/span>Daniel Gafford<\/span><\/a>\u00a0also had good regular seasons and were productive in the playoffs until the Mavs reached the finals. Washington and Gafford were stellar trade deadline acquisitions and finished the season as two of the Mavericks’ best role players. Rookie Dereck Lively<\/a> had an impressive first-year campaign and stepped up in the playoffs with key baskets, effort, and energy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Doncic\u2019s playoffs were a tale of two tapes. Statistically speaking, Donic led the team in points and single-handedly kept the Mavericks in many games. On the other hand, Luka carried on his years-long tension and verbal back-and-forth engagements with the referees, which unquestionably contributed to his NBA finals shortcomings.\u00a0As Dallas heads into the draft this week and further into the off-season, surrounding Doncic and Irving is a priority, with Doncic entering his prime and Irving still playing at a high level.<\/p>\n

Project Cap Space and Draft Picks<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Over the Cap<\/h4>\n

Dallas is in a tight spot and doesn’t have much space to work with. Both Doncic and Irving combine for north of $80 million next year, and the Mavericks’ current committed salary of $176 million surpasses $141 million, which is the maximum. However, sans any splashy moves, running it back with much of the same team is on the table, with a few smaller changes here and there. Luckily the Mavericks are still outside of the first apron tax penalty giving them a full mid-level expectation to use in free agency.<\/p>\n

58th<\/sup> Overall Draft Pick<\/h4>\n

Primary Targets<\/h4>\n