Mavericks Trade Insider: Why Throw-In Acquisition Tarik Biberovic Could Be a Steal

Get ready to learn Tarik Biberovic.

On Wednesday evening, the Dallas Mavericks traded AJ Johnson and three future draft picks to the Memphis Grizzlies for Santi Aldama. It was later reported that they had also acquired the draft rights to Tarik Biberovic, the 56th overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft.

The draft picks likely won't amount to much. It's a top-20 protected pick from the Golden State Warriors in 2030, which would convert to a second-round pick if it doesn't convey. The other picks are second-rounders, though the exact ones aren't known yet, and may not be known until the trade becomes official after July 6th.

On first glance, any time a team acquires the draft rights to a lately-selected European player who has yet to come stateside, it's easy to imagine that as someone we'll never see in the NBA. However, that may not be the case with Tarik Biberovic.

Ahead of this year's NBA Draft, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that multiple teams expressed interest in acquiring Biberovic's draft rights.

A week later, it's the Mavericks that walk away with Biberovic, and there is belief he could become a real player in the NBA.

Jun 29, 2026; Dallas, TX, USA; New Dallas Mavericks’ head coach Dusty May answers questions from the media, while Masai Ujiri, Dallas Mavericks’ President of Basketball Operations looks on during an introductory press conference at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Breakdown of Tarik Biberovic

Tarik Biberovic, a native of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, has spent the last eight seasons with Fenerbahce in Istanbul, Turkey. He signed with them at 17 years old, made his debut at 18, and has stuck with them ever since. He was a key piece of their EuroLeague championship in 2025.

Biberovic is coming off a career-best season, averaging 12.3 PPG and 3.6 RPG, shooting a ridiculous 48.9% from three on more than five attempts per game.

Throughout his EuroLeague/Basketball Super League career (Fenerbahce plays in both leagues), he's been known as a lethal shooter. Across his last 172 games, which span six seasons in three years, Biberovic has shot 43.6% from deep.

The NBA is constantly looking for more and more shooting. Biberovic, at the very least, is a proven knockdown shooter.

Dallas needs some proven shooting, as they were one of the worst teams in the NBA last season from behind the arc, finishing 29th in three-pointers made and 26th in three-point percentage.

If Biberovic comes over, which isn't a guarantee, he'd give the Mavericks a shooting lift while also providing some desperately needed depth to their backcourt, as he stands around 6'6".

Biberovic isn't a great athlete, so he may struggle on defense, but he could come in for 8-10 minutes per game, launch a few threes, and that would be enough to make him a useful NBA player.

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