Mavericks Rookie May Be Ready to Contribute Sooner Than People Anticipated

The Dallas Mavericks needed to address the future of their backcourt this offseason, and they did that in a big way by trading up from 30 to 25 in the NBA Draft to take Spain's Sergio De Larrea.

At 6'6", he has the size that teams look for nowadays from their point guard, and while some expected his shooting to be the biggest thing that would translate to the NBA, it's clearly his passing and playmaking that set him apart early.

De Larrea was electric in the Summer League, setting the franchise record for assists in a game, first with 12 in his third performance, then breaking it again the next game with 14.

He's picked up in the preseason right where he left off in the Summer League. His first performance was a little shaky with four turnovers, but he still had 11 points on 4/6 shooting (3/3 from three) and six assists.

Mavericks rookie Sergio de Larrea 11 PTS (4-6 FG, 3-3 3P), 6 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL vs. Rockets

Began his professional career at age 15 (Spain) pic.twitter.com/E0LJhTINRc
— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) October 9, 2026

In the second preseason game in China, De Larrea was strong once again: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 turnovers. The big standout from the stat sheet, though, was that he was a ridiculous +34 in a 17-point win. No one else on the roster was better than +14.

Another encouraging takeaway from that game was his ability to play with Kyrie Irving. Sunday was Irving's first action in the preseason, and the first time he had played since tearing his ACL in March 2025.

Irving has always been at his best when there's another primary ball-handler on the floor who can help share the burden. If De Larrea is ready for that right away, that adds another much-needed dynamic to this offense.

Oct 9, 2026; Macau, CHN; Dallas Mavericks guard Sergio De Larrea (55) shoots the ball against the Houston Rockets during the China Games at The Venetian Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vernon Bryant-Dallas Mavericks via Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Expectations Still Need to Be Tempered for Sergio De Larrea

When the Mavericks selected Sergio De Larrea, I was of the belief that he would need some time to adjust to the NBA's physicality and pace, but the spacing in this league has been perfect for De Larrea to showcase his instincts and passing. That alone could have him in the rotation early in his career.

The Mavericks need point guard play, and he's arguably the best pure passer on the team.

Teams love to pressure rookie point guards, so you can expect teams to test him early on. If he's still putting up 4 or 5 assists and keeping turnovers down, that would help the offense tremendously.

However, don't be surprised if, toward the middle of the season, he hits a "wall," which is something that happens with a lot of rookie playmakers, especially as more film becomes available on him. 82 games is a long season, and it's rare for rookies to have that level of endurance to last the whole year.

De Larrea could arguably be the biggest X-Factor for the Mavericks this season.

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