Mavs Getting Little Credit for Offseason Moves
The Dallas Mavericks' offseason has been unimpressive, according to several NBA media outlets. Two months ago, ESPN gave the Mavs a "D" for their inability to resign second-leading scorer Jalen Brunson. Dallas was criticized for not replacing Brunson and instead signing Javale McGee.
So was the offseason that bad for the Mavericks? Surely they made significant strides right?
The Athletic's David Aldridge doesn't think so. According to his rankings of team's offseason progress, Dallas came in at No. 25. His biggest concern was: Are teams better or worse than last season?
"No denying that losing Brunson for nothing hurts," wrote Aldridge. "They'll need Reggie Bullock and Tim Hardaway Jr. to bounce back from major regression behind the arc."
Bullock saw his 3-point percentage drop from 41 percent to 36 percent. In the playoffs, his numbers improved, as he made 39.7 percent of 3s. Bullock played a significant role in Jason Kidd's defensive scheme and added depth at the wing.
Hardaway is also expected to play a significant role this season, after missing the latter half of the last season. Before his injury, he was shooting 33.6 percent from the arc, compared to .39.1 percent the season before. During 2019-20, Hardaway made 39.8 percent of his shots from long range.
If Bullock and Hardaway can make up for Brunson's production, then this maybe this changes the minds of league analysts.
"Work should allow the Mavs more or less keep the party going next season, with Christian Wood and McGee now bolstering Dwight Powell upfront," wrote Aldridge.
One upside this offseason is the style and play of Luka Doncic. Recent images depict a slimmer Doncic, who dropped 23 points and 10 rebounds in Slovenia's friendly against Turkey on Friday.
