3 Overreactions as Mavericks Get First Win of 2026 NBA Summer League Against Grizzlies

The Dallas Mavericks continued Summer League action on Monday night against Cameron Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies, still searching for their first win of the summer.

Getting that first win became more difficult when it was announced that 9th overall pick Morez Johnson Jr. (calf soreness) and Ryan Nembhard (illness) would be out for the game. But with how Nembhard had played in the first two games, maybe that would be more beneficial for the Mavs.

That also gave us a much better look at Sergio De Larrea, who had a lot more responsibility in this game with the ball in his hands.

Despite that, the Mavericks played very well, using physicality to keep Cam Boozer at bay. They also got a big lift from the bench, with Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu, Darin Green Jr., and Jaden Springer all scoring in double figures.

That was enough for the Mavericks to get their first win of the Summer League, 96-88.

Boozer had 21 points and 8 rebounds, but he shot just 7/17 from the floor and turned it over three times.

Here are three overreactions from this win.

Tobi Lawal slams home the alley-oop 😤

Sergio De Larrea lobs it up to the Mavs rookie for his 7th AST of the game!

Watch Mavs/Grizzlies in NBA Summer League action on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/5Mw9Raodgg
— NBA (@NBA) July 14, 2026

Sergio De Larrea's Passing is Luka Doncic-esque, But a Lot of Work Still Needed

We got a great look at Sergio De Larrea in this game with Ryan Nembhard out, and he responded to the challenge, specifically as a playmaker. He finished with 16 points and 12 assists, but the passing was the spectacular part.

Behind the back passes, no-look lobs and skip passes... Squint and you can see that Luka Doncic was his inspiration as a player. He even hit a silky-smooth step-back three to his left over Cam Boozer that went nothing but net.

There is still a lot to learn for De Larrea. He struggled against physicality, it took him most of the game to get used to the press, and the ball slips out of his hands a lot more than it should. However, the talent is very real.

Get Ready For an Open Roster Spot

With Morez Johnson Jr. out, the obvious fill-in would've been Tyler Smith, who is on a two-way contract with the Mavs. Not only did he not start, but he didn't even play.

Maybe he had an injury that the Mavericks didn't announce, but they announced it with Johnson and Nembhard. He didn't play all that well in the first two games, though.

If the Mavericks waive him to free up that two-way spot, there are plenty of eligible candidates, such as Vsevolod Ishchenko (more on him in a second) and Moussa Cisse, who has a qualifying offer from the Mavs.

You can even argue that with De Larrea's performance and Nembhard's struggles, they could look to move him soon.

This Mavs sequence 👏

Tobi Lawal swats it!
Vsevolod Ishchenko with the transition pass!
Sergio De Larrea dunks it home!

Mavs lead at the end of Q1 on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/mBvASFxkd5
— NBA (@NBA) July 13, 2026

Vsevolod Ishchenko Needs Refining, But He is Fascinating

No one knew what to expect from Vsevolod Ishchenko in this Summer League. He was the 56th overall pick in the draft, but played in a weaker league in Russia and wasn't even that productive.

He can play, though. With Morez Johnson out, it was Ishchenko who got the primary defensive assignment against Cameron Boozer, and he did pretty well. Boozer was never quite comfortable in this game, and while he still rebounded well, he didn't get many clean looks against Ishchenko. Seeing what Boozer's numbers were when guarded by Ishchenko will be interesting.

Ishchenko didn't score a lot, finishing with just 6 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals, but he can handle the ball with a nice behind-the-back dribble, he's a decent passer, and does a little bit of everything. He even made a few people fall in the last few minutes of the game with that behind-the-back.

Ideally, he gets another year of experience against better competition before coming to the NBA, but the Mavs could always put him on a two-way slot.

Other Quick Notes

Just some other quick notes from this game.

Darin Green Jr. is an elite shooter. He started the game 5/5 from the floor and 4/4 from three. I covered him in his time at Florida State, so I'm not surprised, but to see it translate on this stage is a good sign. He ended up with

Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu is an absurd athlete for a center. Sergio De Larrea would often just throw it up there, and KAE would go get it. He's a little reminiscent of Kai Jones to me, and finished with _.

Jaden Springer had a much better game after a horrific second outing on Saturday.

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