Failure to Put Guard Talent Around Cooper Flagg Has Mavericks Named Free Agency Loser

Nearly a week has passed since the start of free agency, yet the Dallas Mavericks are one of just two teams that have yet to sign anyone, along with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Dallas has been active in trade talks, as they've agreed to send AJ Johnson and three second-round picks to the Grizzlies for Santi Aldama and the draft rights of Tarik Biberovic. And while the full details haven't been announced yet, they're likely to receive Marcus Sasser from the Detroit Pistons.

Still, the Mavericks entered the offseason with big needs in the backcourt, and they've done little to solve that.

Sasser will provide some depth, but he's mostly been pushed out of the main rotation in Detroit, and he's entering the final year of his contract. They also left the 2026 NBA Draft with four draft picks, but only one of them was a guard: Sergio De Larrea.

Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz are far from done building the team, but they currently only have one roster spot remaining.

However, their current logjam in the frontcourt has John Hollinger of The Athletic calling the Mavericks losers of free agency, as it seems they're making "Cooper Flagg’s development trajectory as difficult as possible."

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

Mavericks Need to Clear Frontcourt Logjam

By drafting Morez Johnson 9th overall and Tobi Lawal in the second round, as well as trading for Santi Aldama, the Mavericks are way overloaded in the frontcourt. As Hollinger points out, the Mavs have six players who are best suited as power forwards.

That's simply too many. Masai Ujiri loves his jumbo wings that can defend multiple positions, but they also need shot-creation and three-point shooting.

This could always change. With how quiet the new front office has been moving, maybe they have a trade waiting for P.J. Washington and/or Naji Marshall. Even Klay Thompson could benefit from a change of scenery, as this was not the team he expected when he agreed to sign with the Mavs.

Jun 25, 2026; Dallas, TX, USA; Morez Johnson Jr, the Dallas Mavericks first-round pick in the 2026 NBA draft holds his jersey during an introductory press conference at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dallas still has the full nontaxpayer mid-level exception open, which is worth about $15 million, but there aren't any guards available worth giving the full MLE to.

They were in the running for Anfernee Simons, but he ended up signing just a two-year, $12 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, who look impressive on paper, and will likely be a better competitor than the Mavs.

Otherwise, it's been very quiet for the Mavs in free agency. They need to add someone else to the backcourt somehow, someway, because Kyrie Irving can't be asked to do it all.

Add us as a preferred source on Google