Dirk Nowitzki confirmed he will return to the Mavericks for his 21st season in 2018/19, while Dennis Smith Jr. will enter next season as an NBA sophomore. Despite being in different stages of their careers, Nowitzki and Smith both want to see the Mavericks return to relevance, per the Associated Press.
“I’ve been in a couple of arenas that are playoff teams, and I just witnessed the atmosphere,” Smith said. “I can only imagine how it is playoff time.”
Nowitzki has been part of numerous playoff teams in Dallas and helped lead the franchise to an NBA championship in 2011. In recent seasons, he has accepted that the Mavericks are in a rebuilding stage and contributed in any way possible. Still, he – along with the front office – wants to compete as soon as possible.
“We’re certainly hoping that we’re not in the early stages of a rebuild,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “We want to get through this as expeditiously as possible. But there’s no way you can skip steps.”
- Doug McDermott joined the Mavericks in early February and played well, fulfilling the role of effective three-point shooter, as he has throughout his career. Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes that McDermott, who could hit restricted free agency, would like to return and the feeling is mutual. “I hope so,” McDermott said of returning. “I loved my time here. I feel like I fit in right from the first game, and it just allowed me to be myself out there.
- The Dallas Morning News looks at all of the Mavericks’ decisions heading into both restricted and unrestricted free agency, including what the future may hold for McDermott, Seth Curry, and Nerlens Noel.
- The Mavericks are clearly still in the rebuilding phase and the fan base should get used to the team not being competitive, Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News writes. Dallas will need a lot of work just get to the level of some of the Western Conference’s lower-seeded playoff teams, making a postseason run unlikely to happen anytime soon.
The Mavs are probably now a tax break for losses for their owner.
Bagley would accelerate their rebuild massively.
Bagley and a top FA and we will be back in the playoffs
I.e. Aaron Gordon
Gordon? Bagley and Gordon are both 4’s dude that would make no sense what so ever.
I don’t see any reason to keep any of the RFA/UFAs tbh. Let them go. All bench players. Matthews is gone in a year, make a run at Klay or address SG this year with cheaper options – Barton, Evans, KCP.
Draft Michael Porter Jr.
Attempt to sign Boogie. Or Short-Term Brook Lopez, Long-term Nurkic.
C – Nurkic
PF – Barnes
SF – Porter Jr.
SG – Matthews
PG – Smith Jr.
Don’t know if you noticed burn Barnes was absolutely horrible at the 4 this season, he’s a small forward period. That is a pretty intriguing lineup you out there just don’t see the Mavs taking a risk on Michael if they go too 3-4. Porter Jr has Kings written all over him.
League has mostly transitioned to a smaller lineups. And they have Powell/Dirk if they slide Barnes to the 3. Porter/Bags, but they would have to max out on RFAs Parker or Gordon to play the 4 if they went that route. The path seems easier to draft Porter and sign a cheaper UFA big. They could offer max to Cousins, that’s risky in itself tho.