Can NBA Bubble Mean 'SuperTeam' Recruiting For Mavs?
No NBA team is having more fun together in the 'Orlando Bubble' than the Dallas Mavericks.
From the very beginning, when the team was having to quarantine for two days before being able to practice, a handful of Mavs players, led by Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell, made a playful video from their resort room balconies acting as DJs putting on a big show with an audience of... well, nobody.
From there, whether it's playing tennis in a parking lot, reeling in one big fish after the other (if only this one applied to Mavs free agency, right?), Luka Doncic taking and making wild shots at practice that could be featured on an episode of "Dude Perfect," or playing a friendly game of Spikeball after practice, the chemistry these guys share has shown through in a big way.
That chemistry should help Dallas pick up where it left off on the court before the season was suspended, and if they're lucky, maybe all this fun they're having can rub off on potential trade or free agency targets to help them off the court as well.
One NBA coach tells Yahoo, “The next super team will come out of this. I believe it’s inevitable.''
Dallas isn't a "super team.'' But the Mavs are certainly having a super time ...
If there's one thing Mavs owner Mark Cuban and general manager Donnie Nelson pride themselves on, it's that the organization is more like a big family. On rare occasions, though, that front office mindset can be frustrating to the fan base ("We Love Our Boys In Blue!'') when the team is going through a rebuilding phase. Wes Matthews is one example of that. Why were the Mavs so reluctant to trade Matthews up until the very end of his four-year, $70 million deal that was signed in 2015 after the infamous DeAndre Jordan saga? Why did they decide to give Dwight Powell (a fine player, but not irreplaceable, as we’ve learned this season) a three-year, $33 million contract extension last summer, as well as making sure role players like Dorian Finney-Smith and Maxi Kleber were secured long-term? Why did they continue to bring back guys like Devin Harris (no longer with the team) and JJ Barea, even though their games weren't what they used to be?
The answer, at least for the most part, is 'culture.' Yes, all those players are capable of having their moments on the court, but all of them are extremely valuable locker room guys as well. They work hard and give all for the betterment of the team, and the Mavs usually look to reward that kind of selflessness and loyalty.
When it comes to the Mavs' future pursuits of star players, giving those prospects an up-close and personal look at how the organization runs while in the bubble could end up being a game-changer for Dallas. Although the overall talent with the Mavs has been lacking since the 2011 championship team, that type of locker room culture was still carried on by Dirk Nowitzki up until he retired and now Barea, who is the last remaining Maverick from that title team. Sure, there were hiccups along the way (Lamar Odom, Rajon Rondo, Nerlens Noel), but in all of those specific cases, the problems seemed to lie with the players and not the Mavs.
Now that the Mavs have a formidable roster again, with young superstars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis leading the way, the 'organizational culture' pitch should no longer fall on deaf ears.
The biggest pipe-dream of them all would be reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo deciding that he wants to be in Dallas, assuming he ever makes it to free agency in the 2021 offseason. (See Fish's Donuts.)
If Antetokounmpo declines the Milwaukee Bucks' supermax offer this offseason, there is some speculation that he could potentially be traded before actually becoming a free agent. Regardless, though, if a player wants to be on a certain team, he's going to fine a way to get to that team, no matter what.
Antetokounmpo is biggest name to mention here, but that logic goes for any other players the Mavs have interest in. Show everyone in the bubble what you're all about, hopefully make them want to be a part of something like that, and then capitalize when the time comes, whether it be around the draft or free agency this offseason or next. And not that we're advocating for this or anything, but a little bit of tampering... er... we mean, 'rubbing elbows', never hurt anybody.
As an agent said to Yahoo, "I could definitely see it. Anybody would be naive to believe those conversations weren’t happening or aren’t happening. When you have 22 teams and so many of the powerful players in the world in a confined space for an extended period of time, you’re going to talk to each other about things.”
This year's Mavs roster might not be the most talented, but it's talented enough to make a lot of teams nervous when it comes time for the playoffs. This team has a special connection that just seems to be different from the other teams. There's nothing but positive vibes surrounding the Dallas Mavericks right now, and it's significant enough that we believe the rest of the NBA - and its biggest stars - will take notice.
