Hardly anybody is talking about the Dallas Mavericks. They should be.
NBA free agency has started with a bang. The buzz includes LeBron relocating in LA and Boogie going to Oakland.
But one team in particular, the Dallas Mavericks, has quietly had one of the better offseasons in the NBA.
The Mavericks have made enough moves to be noticed.
First of all, drafting Dennis Smith Jr. in 2017 was a solid step forward. Smith’s rookie performance was praiseworthy. He averaged 15 pts. and 5 assists, and also made the All-Rookie 2nd team.
In this year’s draft, the Mavericks selected Trae Young at #5 and then traded him to Atlanta in exchange for Euro-League superstar, Luka Doncic. Doncic, who just led Slovenia to its first Euro-League tournament, is the youngest player to be named both Euro-League MVP and Euro League Finals MVP.
If Smith and Doncic weren’t enough (and they aren’t), the Mavs just added DeAndre Jordan via free agency. Jordan will add immeasurably to the team, particularly in the rebounding and shooting departments. Last year he finished second in the NBA in both rebounds (15.2 per game) and shooting (64%). Jordan’s on-court presence isn’t his only asset. He’s a locker room leader, too.
Yes, NBA fans, Dallas is moving in the right direction.
