Big issue 1: The Mavericks completed a surprise trade for injured Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis in late January, giving the franchise a star 23-year-old big man to pair with 20-year-old rookie sensation Luka Doncic. That’s significant young talent in the team’s post-Dirk Nowitzki future.
But what New York police have called a "believable" accusation of sexual assault dating back more than a year looms over Porzingis, who has portrayed the incident as an extortion attempt. The Mavs were aware of the situation when the trade was made and determined that Porzingis would ultimately be exonerated.
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That’s the most serious issue the team must handle. But getting Porzingis back to full health and productivity will be a challenge, too, as will handling Porzingis off the court. The Knicks tired of demands and antics from Porzingis and his brother/manager, Janis.
Nowitzki has long been one of the most likeable superstars in the NBA, and the affection that generated in Dallas helped sustain him through some difficult times before he finally won a championship.
Porzingis isn’t so likeable. Can he change that, and if not, what kind of relationship will he have with coaches, the organization and fans?
Big issue 2: Even with Doncic, who spent most of the year as shooting guard, the backcourt is very much in flux.
Rookie Jalen Brunson has been very good as the Mavericks starter at point guard, a role he took over when Dennis Smith Jr. was dealt for Porzingis. As a starter, Brunson has averaged 13.0 points and 4.1 assists, shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from the 3-point line. He has a nice rapport with Doncic.
Doncic has played more small forward since the Mavs acquired Tim Hardaway Jr. in the Porzingis trade, but he is a capable ball handler and playmaker himself. The team is likely stuck with Hardaway, who has two more years and $37 million on his contract, and has shot just 40.4 percent from the field in 19 games with the Mavs.
Ideally, Brunson would be a very good backup point guard on a playoff contender, and Hardaway would be a seventh or eighth man off the bench. But they’re starting now. Dallas needs to change that in the offseason.
Free-agent outlook: Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but the Mavericks have a slew of cap space and are intent on chasing after the top free-agent names on the market this summer. That means Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, DeMarcus Cousins and players of that ilk.
The hope is that, with Porzingis and Doncic on board, the Mavs can offer the kind of promising pitch they weren’t able to put forth when chasing (and missing out on) the likes of LeBron James, Chris Bosh, LaMarcus Aldridge and Carmelo Anthony in the past. Maybe that will yield Durant, who went to Texas for his one year of college.
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More likely, the Mavs bring in multiple second-tier free agents. Magic center Nikola Vucevic has been closely linked to the team, and wings like Khris Middleton and J.J. Redick would be targets that make sense. The Mavs have had interest in Pelicans big man Julius Randle in the past, and Randle will be on the market after averaging 21.4 points this year.
The point-guard market will be limited, but Celtics free agent Terry Rozier could be an ideal fit as a young and relatively affordable option.
Expect the Mavericks to take their swings at major players. But also expect them to turn to Plan B and bolster the roster with multiple talented veterans.
The young folks: The Mavs pulled off a draft-day deal with the Hawks to get Doncic, and while Atlanta has been pleased with Trae Young’s development (and the pick they’ll get from Dallas this year, protected for the top five), Doncic took the league by storm from the start of the season.
Now, assuming things shake out well for Porzingis, the Mavs have a base of the 23-year-old Porzingis and the 20-year-old Doncic. Brunson, 23, is clearly a keeper, too.
The other developing project is Kostas Antetokounmpo, younger brother of Giannis, who spent much of the season in the G-League on a two-way contract.
Wait till next year: Even without a major free-agent signing, there will be excitement to see what Doncic can do in Year 2, especially with Porzingis in the frontcourt. But, barring the signing of Durant, if the Mavs can attract a pair of quality starters in free agency, the team will look all the better.
Of course, the Mavs will also look weird without Nowitzki on hand after two remarkable decades of the blonde German in uniform. That will take some getting used to.
Dallas made a push to get into the postseason this year, and the Mavs were 15-11 in mid-December. They didn’t have the depth to sustain that run, and Doncic wore down late in the year. But a revamped roster should put them back in contention for a postseason spot next season.