Dallas Mavericks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Jones, Roster, Cuban

June 18th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the Mavericks‘ disastrous finish to the 2022/23 season, there was plenty of speculation a year ago about Luka Doncic‘s future in Dallas, with some media members suggesting the team would have to make real strides within the next year or two in order to secure the star guard’s long-term commitment.

Following an NBA Finals run this spring, that no longer seems like a concern, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who says all indications are that Doncic will be willing to sign a super-max extension in July 2025 once he has the necessary seven years of NBA service. The 25-year-old said after Monday’s season-ending loss that he feels “great” about the Mavs’ future.

“We did some great (personnel) moves,” Doncic said. “I would say we’ve been together for five months. I’m proud of every guy that stepped on the floor, all the coaches, all the people behind (the scenes). Obviously, we didn’t win Finals, but we did have a hell of a season.”

Doncic’s enthusiasm about the franchise’s direction is shared by his backcourt partner Kyrie Irving, who is under contract in Dallas for at least the next two seasons.

“I just feel like the sky’s the limit,” Irving said, per MacMahon. “I have an opportunity to be on a special team that can be one of the teams that dominates in this era. That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out the past few years, of how to be on a great team, be in an organization where I’m trusted, and also we’re able to succeed and fail together, and doing it in a way where we still have each other’s backs, and no one is giving up on the dream or the goal. Our goal is still to win a championship.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Based on their current salary projections, Dallas won’t be able to offer more than the taxpayer mid-level exception (about $5.2MM) to free agent forward Derrick Jones, though the team could potentially open up some or all of the non-taxpayer MLE ($12.9MM) with some tweaks to the roster, MacMahon writes. Mavs general manager Nico Harrison wants to find a way to bring back Jones. “He’s a part of our core going forward, so hopefully we can figure that out,” Harrison told ESPN.
Regarding the rest of the roster, Harrison said he likes where it stands but acknowledged that there’s always room for improvements. “I think we have a really good core and really good complementary pieces,” Harrison told MacMahon. “Having said that, I mean, I’ve been here for two years and so I think my reputation is starting to (form). If there’s an opportunity to make it better, I’m going to do that for sure.”
Former Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban no longer has control of the team’s basketball operations, MacMahon confirms. Still, as Howard Beck of The Ringer writes, Cuban – now a minority stakeholder – can take credit for three risky moves that set up the club for this year’s success: hiring Harrison as GM; hiring Jason Kidd as head coach; and trading for Irving. Harrison had worked at Nike rather than for an NBA team, Kidd had been fired from two previous head coaching jobs, and Irving’s value had fallen due to injury issues and off-court controversies. “For sure, they were risks,” Cuban told Beck. “I mean, there were a lot of people who just like rolled their eyes at me. But each of them brought a unique set of skills to the table that I didn’t have, that the organization hadn’t had, and I thought were valuable and important.”
Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) previews the offseason in Dallas, writing that the Mavericks have some trade assets available – including its 2025 and 2031 first-round picks and Tim Hardaway‘s expiring contract – and suggesting they could use another play-making guard, perimeter depth, and a floor-spacing big man.

Celtics Win First Title Since 2008; Brown Named MVP

June 17th, 2024 at 10:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics won their record-breaking 18th NBA championship and first since 2008 on Monday night, defeating the Mavericks in Game 5, 106-88. Boston now has one more title than the Lakers.

Jayson Tatum racked up 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in Game 5, while Jaylen Brown supplied 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

Brown was named the Finals’ Most Valuable Player, Brian Robb of MassLive.com tweets. He received seven of 11 possible votes from media members, with Tatum getting the other four (Twitter link).

Dallas extended the series with a lopsided victory in Game 4 but had no answers for the deeper Celtics when the series shifted back to Boston. The Celtics opened up a 67-46 halftime lead and cruised to the finish line.

Boston, which entered the playoffs as the top seed, is well-positioned to shoot for back-to-back titles. All of its key players — Tatum, Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Al Horford and Payton Pritchard — are signed through at least next season. The Celtics hold a $2.1MM option on Sam Hauser‘s contract, which they will likely exercise.

Tatum is signed through the next two seasons, though he holds a $37.1MM player option for the 2025/26 season. Tatum is eligible for a five-year super-max extension worth a projected $315MM next month.

The Mavericks also have most of their rotation players signed through at least next season, with Derrick Jones Jr. the only exception — he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Dallas could look to make at least one significant upgrade via the trade market to provide another scoring option for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

With the Finals decided, the 2024 NBA offseason is officially underway. For the first time, teams will be permitted to negotiate contracts with their own free agents one day after the Finals. Players who won’t be free agents this offseason but who will become eligible to sign contract extensions on July 6 will also be permitted to negotiate with their current teams as of Tuesday.

Thus, it wouldn’t be surprising if some agreements are reported this week. Free agent contracts still can’t be officially finalized until after the July moratorium lifts on July 6.

The draft will be held on June 26-27 with free agency beginning on June 30 at 6 p.m. Eastern time.

Southwest Notes: VanVleet, Mavs, Sweeney, Pelicans

June 17th, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

While Fred VanVleet‘s first season with the Rockets wasn’t one of the best of his career in terms of wins and losses, he said it was “really fun” to take the leadership traits he developed in Toronto and apply them to a young team in Houston, according to Scott Leber of WTVO.

“It was probably the most fun I’ve had in a long time,” VanVleet said. “Just back to the basics enjoying the small moments. Once you win a championship you get a little spoiled and jaded, and you kind of forget how fun it was building up to that point, so actually it was back to square one learning.”

The Rockets had an eventful summer a year ago, using their significant cap room to bring in VanVleet and Dillon Brooks in free agency. Houston won’t have cap space available this offseason, but the team will have the mid-level exception on hand and has the assets necessary to go shopping on the trade market for additional upgrades, so VanVleet believes it’s not unrealistic to expect another major roster move.

“We’ve got the ammunition for it, so we’ll see, but I’m rolling with whatever they decide to do,” the veteran point guard said. “Obviously winning is at the forefront. I trust ownership and management that they’re going to make the right decisions.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

The Mavericks‘ 38-point blowout of Boston in Game 4 was certainly impressive, but does it have any predictive value for Game 5 (and possibly beyond)? John Hollinger of The Athletic explores that question, ultimately concluding that history suggests Game 4 was “probably a human nature loss more than a telling turning point.”
As Stefan Bondy of The New York Post writes, Mavericks assistant coach Sean Sweeney has received rave reviews from players, including Dereck Lively, who said he “wouldn’t be here without Sweene,” and Josh Green, who lauded Sweeney’s “X’s and O’s” acumen and ability to make adjustments. The highest praise for Sweeney may have come from head coach Jason Kidd, who told Bondy, “He’ll be a head coach soon.”
Christian Clark of NOLA.com looks at some of the biggest decisions facing David Griffin and the Pelicans this offseason, including picking a direction on Brandon Ingram‘s future, addressing the center position, and filling out a coaching staff and basketball operations department that have seen staffers depart for new teams this spring.

Mavericks Notes: Irving, Doncic, Lively

June 16th, 2024 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kyrie Irving had a pair of rough outings during the first two games of the Finals in Boston. With the series shifting back to the Celtics’ home court for Game 5 on Monday, the Mavericks guard says he must block out all “self-doubt” with the Mavericks trying to stay alive, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon writes.

Irving shot 13-for-37 from the field in Games 1 and 2.

“Let’s call it what it is, when the fans are chanting ‘Kyrie sucks’ or anything, they feel like they have a psychological edge — and that’s fair,” he said. “If I’m not making shots or turning the ball over, that makes it even more of a pressing issue that they can stay on me for. So I think in order to silence even the self doubt, let alone the crowd doubt, but the self-doubt when you make or miss shots, that’s just as important.”

Irving will switch up his mental approach in Game 5, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

“Be prepared for what I’m getting myself into,” Irving said. “Most importantly, not making this about me or getting into the energy with anyone else other than my teammates. That’s about it.”

We have more on the Mavs:

Head coach Jason Kidd was a top assistant with the Lakers before getting the top job with the Mavericks. Kidd says Luka Doncic and LeBron James have a very comparable mental approach. “They’re very similar,” Kidd told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “They’re very similar, IQ-wise. Both just off the charts. Luka doesn’t have athleticism like LeBron has. But they do a lot of things similar and they both really know the game.”
The Mavericks are trying to make history by erasing a 3-0 deficit and Doncic says it’s all about faith in themselves. “I think the most important thing is to show that we believe,” he said, per MacMahon. “I think we showed in Game 4. If not, if we wouldn’t believe, we probably wouldn’t have won that game. So I think obviously the talk is easy to talk about it, but then showing it is another thing. I think we showed it.”
Rookie big man Dereck Lively is still amazed how far he’s come in one year, according to Schuyler Dixon of The Associated Press. ”I wouldn’t have expected myself to be in this spot whenever I looked at the draft a year ago,” he said. ”The draft is a week away. Last year, a week away from the draft, my heart was pumping because I didn’t know what was going to happen. And now I’m playing in the NBA Finals.’‘

Mavericks Notes: Irving, Lively, Jones, Rotation

June 16th, 2024 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics were hoping Kyrie Irving would lead them to a championship when they traded for him nearly seven years ago. Instead, he went through a tumultuous journey in Boston and Brooklyn before finding happiness with a Mavericks team that’s now standing between the Celtics and an 18th banner.

Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe talked to Irving about all that went wrong during his time in Boston, which eventually led to a bitter breakup with the city. Washburn notes that Irving tended to be a loner when he played for the Celtics, but he has become more likable and more approachable since then.

“Being under the microscope in this business is a lot different for me now than probably four years ago, five years ago, because I’m able to put the big picture of life in perspective and also the game in perspective. It comes easier,” Irving said. “Then also I think the social media, sociopathic behavior. You know, your inner voice is not clear anymore when you’re downloading other voices and other opinions. That can become hard.”

The Mavericks are somewhat of a surprise Finals team after missing the playoffs last season. After Dallas traded for Irving in February 2023, his fit with Luka Doncic initially appeared awkward, but they’ve found a way to make it work. Irving appreciates the situation he’s landed in, and he believes the Mavs can be title contenders for years to come.

“At 32 right now, I just feel like the sky’s the limit,” he said. “I have an opportunity to be on a special team that can be one of the teams that dominates in this era. That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out the past few years, of how to be on a great team, be in an organization where I’m trusted, and also we’re able to succeed and fail together, and doing it in a way where we still have each other’s backs, and no one is giving up on the dream or the goal.”

There’s more on the Mavericks:

Dereck Lively II‘s dominance in the middle is one of the reasons the Mavericks believe they can rally from a 3-0 deficit, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Lively had seven offensive rebounds Friday night and sparked an early game-changing run with a rare three-pointer. He wound up with 11 points and 12 boards, making him the first rookie with back-to-back double-doubles in the Finals in 44 years. League sources tell Fischer that rival teams knew the Mavs were targeting Lively in last year’s draft, and they were able to work out a deal with Oklahoma City after a proposal involving Clint Capela and the Hawks fell through.
Shawn Marion, who was part of Dallas’ last title team in 2011, sees elements of his own game in Derrick Jones Jr., per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “He’s definitely a shuffle piece that you can put him in different places because he’s very athletic,” Marion said. “He’s mobile. And he’s tall. So he’s got the length. He’s a versatile defender.”
Head coach Jason Kidd made rotation changes that might help the Mavericks sustain the momentum from their Game 4 win, observes John Hollinger of The Athletic. Minutes have increased for Lively, Josh Green and Maxi Kleber while decreasing for Jaden Hardy and Tim Hardaway Jr.

Stein’s Latest: Redick, Allen, Bronny, M. Williams, Hezonja

June 15th, 2024 at 7:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

J.J. Redick appears to once again be the front-runner for the Lakers‘ head coaching job after Dan Hurley decided to remain at UConn, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required). The ESPN broadcaster was widely considered to be the favorite before news of the team’s interest in Hurley became public last week.

Stein said one source told him on Friday, “You know who is getting the job,” while another pointed out that the Cavaliers‘ interest in James Borrego could leave Redick as L.A.’s only high-profile candidate. The Lakers are six weeks into their coaching search after firing Darvin Ham on May 3.

Stein also dismisses accusations that the Lakers and Hurley were somehow working together to help him get a better offer from UConn. Stein points out that the Lakers suffered embarrassment by losing out to a college team, and they created a more difficult situation for whomever they eventually hire because he’ll seem like a second choice at best.

Stein shares more inside information from around the league:

Sources tell Stein that the Cavaliers are unlikely to trade Jarrett Allen if Donovan Mitchell agrees to an extension because Mitchell likes having him on the team. That means Allen and Evan Mobley, who’s also eligible for an extension this offseason, will probably remain together, even if it’s sometimes an awkward fit. Numerous insiders confirm to Stein that Borrego is viewed as the most likely candidate to replace J.B. Bickerstaff as head coach.
The Mavericks have interest in drafting Bronny James, Stein hears, but he’ll likely be off the board by the time they pick at No. 58. After James had pre-draft workouts with the Lakers and Suns, his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, said sessions with other teams are unlikely, according to Stein.
Monty Williams remaining head coach of the Pistons is “the likely outcome,” a source tells Stein. The source said Friday’s report that Fred Vinson will leave New Orleans to become an assistant coach in Detroit is a “clear signal” that Williams will keep his job. Vinson previously worked under Williams from 2011-15.
Stein suggests Mario Hezonja could be back in the NBA next season after spending the last four years overseas. Hezonja was selected fifth by Orlando in the 2015 draft and spent five years in the league with the Magic, Knicks and Trail Blazers. He’ll be a free agent after playing for Real Madrid the past two seasons.

Celtics Notes: Mazzulla, Holiday, Porzingis, Horford

June 15th, 2024 at 5:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Joe Mazzulla‘s pregame warning was prophetic and now it appears the NBA Finals could become a competitive series, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. With a chance to sweep and claim their 18th championship Friday night, the Celtics only managed to keep things close for a few minutes before being mauled by Dallas.

“The closer you are to beating someone, the closer you are to getting your ass kicked,” Mazzulla said in a session with reporters before the start of Game 4. “Tonight I expect the best out of Dallas, and we got to get ready for a fight.”

The fight was never close, as the Mavericks took control of the game midway through the first quarter and didn’t let up on their way to a 38-point victory. Dallas used a much more physical approach on defense, Weiss observes, finding success by challenging Boston’s ball-handlers and funneling them into Dereck Lively II. Offensively, the Mavs rediscovered the spacing that got them past their Western Conference opponents, effectively creating corner threes for the first time in the series.

“I think winning at any game is hard. But winning Game 4 of the NBA Finals is pretty damn hard,” Jrue Holiday said. “I think they came out desperate and I think they punched us in the mouth, and we couldn’t kind of recover the way we wanted to.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

Kristaps Porzingis was upgraded to available for Game 4, but he never left the bench and it’s not clear if Mazzulla would have used him even if the game had been close, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. Porzingis sat out Wednesday night after suffering a posterior tibialis dislocation in his left leg late in Game 2, and Mazzulla said Friday that he would “only be used in specific instances, if necessary.” Terada notes that Porzingis didn’t take part in the pregame layup lines and remained in the locker room for about half of the third quarter. Terada describes the situation as “murky” heading into Monday’s Game 5.
Veteran center Al Horford had a unique perspective on Friday’s loss, pointing out that it’s the first time the Celtics have really been challenged in the series, Terada adds in a separate story. “I’ve been in a lot of these, and usually by the second game, you’re making adjustments,” Horford said. “Third game, you’re making another adjustment, and that’s kind of how it is. And for us, we’ve had the first three games, we didn’t really make any adjustments. So today, they did something. We have to see how we can be better and prepare for it. That’s kind of where we’re at right now.”
Eli Cloutier of The Boston Globe puts Game 4 into historical perspective, noting that it’s the third-largest margin of victory in the NBA Finals.

Mavericks Notes: Game 4, Adjustments, Doncic, Kidd

June 15th, 2024 at 9:49am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Mavericks came away with the third-largest victory in a game in NBA Finals history on Friday, defeating Boston 122-84 to cut the Celtics’ series lead to 3-1, Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com writes.

“We had to play our A game,” coach Jason Kidd said. “It was this or we go on vacation. I thought the group did a great job of not pressing, letting the game happen. We made a stand. We were desperate. We got to continue to keep playing that way. They’re trying to find a way to close the door. The hardest thing in this league is to close the door when you have a group that has nothing to lose. Tonight you saw that. They let go of the rope, you know, pretty early.”

Luka Doncic put up a strong first half with 25 points, helping the Mavericks build a big early lead that they never surrendered. Doncic had spoken after Game 3 about wanting to have fun on the court again, and it certainly seemed like that was the case in Game 4, Sefko writes.

“It doesn’t change anything,” Doncic said. “It’s first to four. And we’re going to believe until the end. So we’re just going to keep going. I have big belief in this team.”

We have more from the Mavericks:

The Mavs finally made their opponent think by making some critical adjustments, The Athletic’s Tim Cato writes. Dallas has historically done well in the playoffs after falling into a deficit under Kidd, and Game 4 was no exception. Dereck Lively II looked comfortable and Dante Exum saw more action, scoring 10 points off the bench and proving he can contribute. “We waited until Game 4 to ultimately play our best game,” Kyrie Irving said. “But we have another opportunity to extend the season. That’s all we can ask for. We handled our business tonight. But the job is still an uphill battle, and we understand that.“
Doncic showed the basketball world that he’s willing and ready to take a step with his game, Sam Amick of The Athletic writes. Doncic apologized for his Game 3 actions involving referees and then was more composed in Game 4. Amick writes that Doncic’s three steals also signal his willingness to improve as a two-way player.
Kidd defended Doncic prior to Game 4, Joe Vardon of The Athletic observes. “For whatever reason, there have been some personal attacks on him, but he will learn from them and he will be better when he comes back from it,” Kidd said ahead of Friday’s game. Kidd said Doncic deserves a break but also pointed out that some of the league’s greatest have taken this sort of criticism before finding long-term success.

Kristaps Porzingis Available For Game 4

June 14th, 2024 at 6:38pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla announced that starting center Kristaps Porzingis‘ status upgraded to available for Game 4 of the NBA Finals against Porzingis’ old club, the Mavericks, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link). The action is set to tip off on Friday night.

Mazzulla cautioned that Porzingis would “only be used in specific instances, if necessary.”

Boston has survived just fine without its starting center for much of the playoffs, though when he can play he has shown off an incredible two-way ability to both protect the rim and knock down jumpers.

Porzingis has only been healthy for five contests in this postseason run, but the Celtics have gone 11-1 in the games he’s missed, with sixth man Al Horford picking up the slack in his absence. Horford has started in all three Finals games, even when Porzingis was deemed healthy to play during the first two contests.

The 7’2″ big man was ruled out for Game 3 of the series due to a posterior tibialis dislocation in his left leg. Boston won anyway, 106-99, building out an intimidating 3-0 advantage. Never in league history has any team, in any round, climbed out of that kind of hole.

During the playoffs, Porzingis has averaged 13.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.8 BPG, 1.3 APG and 0.8 SPG in 24.8 MPG.

Southwest Notes: Doncic, Mavs, Spurs, Rockets, Pelicans

June 14th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Luka Doncic has averaged nearly 30 points per night in the first three games of the NBA Finals, but the Mavericks were outscored by 10 points when he was on the floor in Game 1; he committed eight turnovers and missed four free throws in Game 2; and he made just 11-of-27 shots in Game 3 before fouling out of a three-point game with over four minutes still on the clock. He has also been repeatedly targeted on defense over the course of the series.

While head coach Jason Kidd isn’t throwing in the towel on this series with his team facing a 3-0 deficit, he noted on Thursday that no matter what happens the rest of the way, he expects his star player to learn from the challenges he has faced this spring and use those experiences as a springboard to get even better in future seasons.

“The history is there for us to learn from, when you look at great players and the struggles,” Kidd told reporters (story via Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports). “You look at (Michael Jordan) and the struggles that he had against Detroit. You look at some of Magic Johnson’s struggles. You look at LeBron (James‘) first time around (against the Spurs in the 2007 Finals). It’s there to learn from. But the great ones, they use that going into the next season, or the next couple of seasons, to try to get back there. Because now they understand experience is a big thing.”

Here’ more from around the Southwest:

Kidd isn’t planning to make any changes to the Mavericks‘ starting lineup in Game 4, he said on Thursday, as Joe Vardon of The Athletic relays.
Which prospects in this year’s draft would fit best next to Victor Wembanyama for the Spurs? Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link) considers that question, offering up some suggestions for San Antonio at No. 4, No. 8, No. 35, and No. 48. Kentucky guards Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham are Givony’s top suggestions for the fourth overall pick, while Nikola Topic and Dalton Knecht lead his list at eighth overall. Terrence Shannon, Adem Bona, Cam Spencer, and Jaylen Wells are among the players Givony likes as second-round targets.
The Spurs appear to be eyeing more experienced backcourt prospects with their second-round picks, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required), who takes a closer look at Boogie Ellis‘ recent visit to San Antonio and notes that Houston’s Jamal Shead also recently worked out for the club.
Shead visited Houston on Friday, confirms Kelly Iko of The Athletic, tweeting that Tyler Thomas (Hofstra), Isaiah Stevens (Colorado State), and N’Faly Dante (Oregon) were among the other prospects working out for the Rockets. The club controls the No. 44 overall pick in addition to No. 3.
An evaluation of Smoothie King Center’s infrastructure is nearing completion, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, who says the results of that assessment will help determine whether the Pelicans renovate their current arena or need to build a new one.