The Mavericks had a tremendous year, but they still fell short of that elusive championship.
Dallas didn't look particularly close in a Finals series that Boston dominated. The question that always looms after the team's playoff defeats will inevitably resurface — have the Mavericks done enough to keep Luka Doncic happy?
The Mavs are always going to be in contention with Doncic on the roster. He desperately wants to win a championship, so every move must be made with an eye toward players who can both thrive alongside him and get the team closer to that goal.
Doncic shouldn't be considered much of a flight risk yet. He's signed through the 2026-27 season and the Mavericks have the most money to offer him in an extension next summer. He'll be eligible for a five-year supermax in the summer of 2025 that would pay him an estimated $346 million, which will be the biggest contract handed out in league history, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.
Doncic will stay on the team until that supermax is signed. Kyrie Irving is signed through the next two seasons as well. The choices that the team makes will be centered more around the supporting cast, which needs upgrades.
Here's who the front office has to decide on.
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Mavericks upcoming free agents
The Mavericks are not projected to have cap space to sign any big-ticket free agents this summer. Instead, they will have to work to manage their tax bill or try to get under — they're projected to be $2.8 million over as of now, per Spotrac.
Their starting lineup is mostly set. Doncic and Irving are obviously locked in. Trade acquisitions P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford are both signed through 2025-26.
Derrick Jones Jr. was the team's fifth starter in the playoffs and is the only question mark. He wildly outperformed his $2.7 million minimum salary, bringing solid defensive play, athleticism and better shooting than on his previous teams.
Jones is set to be a free agent. The team will have non-Bird rights on him, meaning that they will be limited to offering him just $3.3 million next year, or use part of their taxpayer mid-level exception starting at around $5 million.
Given how weak the 2024 free agent class is, Jones Jr. may be a flight risk to take a bigger deal somewhere else.
All of Dallas' other free agents were not a big part of their regular rotation. Jones Jr. will be the priority.
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Player option | Team option/non-guaranteed |
| Derrick Jones Jr. | Brandon Williams | None | Dante Exum |
| Markieff Morris | Greg Brown III | A.J. Lawson |
Mavericks future salaries, roster
Much of the Mavericks' roster is locked up for the foreseeable future.
All figures via Spotrac.
| Player | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 |
| Luka Doncic | $43,031,940 | $45,999,660 | $48,967,380 (PO) | UFA |
| Kyrie Irving | $41,000,000 | $42,962,963 (PO) | UFA | — |
| Tim Hardaway Jr | $16,193,183 | UFA | — | — |
| P.J. Washington | $15,500,000 | $14,152,174 | UFA | — |
| Daniel Gafford | $13,394,160 | $14,386,320 | UFA | — |
| Josh Green | $12,654,321 | $13,666,667 | $14,679,012 | UFA |
| Maxi Kleber | $11,000,000 | $11,000,000 | UFA | — |
| Dereck Lively II | $5,014,560 | $4,253,360 (TO) | $7,239,131 (TO) | RFA |
| Dwight Powell | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 (PO) | UFA | — |
| Dante Exum | $3,150,000 (NG) | UFA | — | — |
| Olivier-Maxence Prosper | $2,870,400 | $3,007,080 (TO) | $5,259,383 (TO) | RFA |
| A.J. Lawson | $2,120,683 (NG) | $2,401,587 (NG) | $2,489,752 (NG) | UFA |
| Jaden Hardy | $2,019,699 | RFA | — | — |
PO = Player option
TO = Team option
NG = Non-guaranteed
UFA = Unrestricted free agent
RFA = Restricted free agent
Mavericks 2024 NBA Draft picks
The Mavericks have only one pick, the last one in the second round.
First round
- None
Second round
- No. 58 pick (via Boston)
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One burning question
Who do the Mavericks get as their fifth starter?
The Mavericks do not have a lot of avenues to add a free agent. They'll be limited to $5 million, and there aren't a ton of quality options at that price point. Jones Jr. has performed admirably, and they could run back this same group. Tim Hardaway Jr. also spot-started throughout the season if Jones were to leave, but he looked completely ineffective towards the latter part of the season.
The other option is to trade for someone. The Mavs will have their 2025 and 2031 first-round picks available to offer up, along with a handful of second-rounders. Hardaway's $16 million expiring salary could be a useful chip to use in matching salary.
The Mavericks could use more of a 3-and-D wing presence next to Doncic, Irving, Washington and Gafford. How about a Dorian Finney-Smith return? The much-improved Deni Avdija could be another great option. Both of those players would fit into Hardaway's salary slot.
Dallas was a terrific defensive team after the trade deadline, ranking seventh in the league. A full year of Gafford and Washington should help boost its win total. The Mavericks do need some better shooters to put around Doncic and Irving, and another trade is going to be the best way to do it.
A little bit of tinkering around the margins might be enough to get this group back into the Finals next season and more competitive once they get there.
