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Mavs Notes: Barnes, Free Agency, Roster, Amenities

August 8th, 2017 at 8:30pm CST by marksuleymanov

Harrison Barnes is entering his second season with the Mavericks and he will prepare for 2017/18 as a player looking to prove that Dallas’ lofty commitment was not a mistake. As Eddie Sefko of Dallas Sports Day writes, Barnes’ first season with the Mavericks was outstanding, as his PPG shot up by nearly eight points from 11.7 with the Warriors in 2016/17 to 19.2 with Dallas in 2017/18.

Sefko adds that life off the court is also going well for Barnes, as he got married recently and is enjoying the four-year, $95MM contract he signed with Dallas last year. However, Barnes’ rebounding numbers have not improved and the 25-year-old is entering a season in which the Mavericks are not expected to compete.

“Much will depend on how Dennis Smith Jr. bonds with Barnes and other teammates,” writes Sefko, noting a young Mavericks team that will need guidance from its veteran coach. “What the Mavericks have going for them is Rick Carlisle pulling the strings. He’s no stranger to putting together new pieces – he’s had to do it just about every season in Dallas.”

It may be a long year for the Mavericks, but Barnes showing further improvement will be beneficial for the team’s future.

Below you can read additional news surrounding the Mavericks.

  • In a separate feature, Sefko breaks down the Mavericks’ internationally flavored roster and the organization’s mentality in seeking out talent worldwide. Sefko quotes Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who, in Sefko’s words, half hyperbolized that Dallas is “scouting third-graders in Nigeria.”
  • While the Mavericks did not try to sign any of the prominent free agents this summer, Dallas Sports Day examines prior free agents who spurned the team and how it has impacted the franchise. The list includes Deron Williams, Dwight Howard, and perhaps most famously, DeAndre Jordan, who verbally agreed to a deal with Dallas before re-signing with the Clippers.
  • While that batch of free agents chose to continue their careers elsewhere, the Mavericks are using a new tool to possibly lure talent. As Sefko writes once more, the Mavericks have revamped their locker room, weight room, and increased amenities for the players. Sefko quotes Cuban once again, who says that the team’s goal is “to integrate anything and everything that could give us a competitive advantage.”
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Mavericks Sign P.J. Dozier

August 8th, 2017 at 11:59am CST by ChrisCrouse

AUGUST 8: The Mavericks have officially signed Dozier, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 27: The Mavericks have reached an agreement to bring P.J. Dozier to the team, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com tweets. The scribe adds that the deal will only be partially guaranteed.

The combo guard spent two seasons at South Carolina where he scored 10.4 points per game and shot slightly under 40.0% from the field. As a sophomore, he helped lead the Gamecocks to their first final four in school history.

Dozier was not selected in this summer’s draft, though, as an undrafted free agent, he was able to find a Summer League deal with the Lakers. He only played in two games for the franchise’s team in Las Vegas before parting ways with Los Angeles.

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Poll: Which Southwest Team Had Best Offseason?

August 8th, 2017 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

In the days and weeks leading up to free agency, Chris Paul was frequently linked to the Spurs, who were viewed as the most likely landing spot for the star point guard if he left the Clippers. However, the Rockets were the team that swooped in before the free agent period even began to acquire Paul, sending seven players and a draft pick to L.A. in the deal that landed CP3 in Houston.

The Rockets‘ trade for Paul – along with the signing of P.J. Tucker – makes them an obvious pick for the Southwest team that had the best offseason, but the price for CP3 was steep, considering he was about to become an unrestricted free agent. Sixth Man of the Year finalist Lou Williams and All-Defensive First-Teamer Patrick Beverley were among the outgoing pieces in that deal, along with young big men Montrezl Harrell and Sam Dekker. Still, while the Rockets’ depth – particularly in the backcourt – may have taken a hit, pairing Paul with James Harden should make it worthwhile.

As for the Spurs, they ended up not clearing out cap room for a marquee outside free agent, opting instead to re-sign several of their own FAs, including Patty Mills, Pau Gasol, and Manu Ginobili. The club also made use of its exceptions to add Rudy Gay and Joffrey Lauvergne, though Jonathon Simmons and Dewayne Dedmon left for new teams.

Elsewhere in the division, the Pelicans entered the offseason virtually capped out, but made several interesting moves, including re-signing Jrue Holiday and adding Rajon Rondo, Ian Clark, and Frank Jackson to their backcourt.

While the Grizzlies didn’t make major changes to their core, several veterans moved on, with Zach Randolph and Vince Carter heading to Sacramento. Tony Allen – who is still on the open market – also appears unlikely to remain in Memphis. Restricted free agent JaMychal Green is a better bet to re-sign, and if he does, he’ll join new additions like Ben McLemore, Tyreke Evans, and Rade Zagorac.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks sat out of free agency for the first time in several years. However, despite the lack of big splashes, Dallas’ offseason looks like a successful one — the team managed to re-sign Dirk Nowitzki to a very modest contract, landed a very promising rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr., and don’t appear to have major competition for RFA Nerlens Noel, which should make him a little more affordable than anticipated.

What do you think? Which Southwest team had the best offseason? Does the Rockets’ acquisition of Paul instantly give them the edge, or did another team’s summer moves impress you more?

Vote below, and jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Previously:

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Dirk Hopeful Noel Returns To Fold

August 7th, 2017 at 9:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • Dirk Nowitzki is hopeful that the Mavericks can eventually come to terms with restricted free agent Nerlens Noel, whose contract situation has yet to be resolved. “He’s so young and so athletic. I’d love to keep him,” Nowitzki told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. “I’m sure that is what the Mavs are thinking. … We obviously traded for him last year with the hope he will stay with this franchise for a long time. … I’m sure [Mavericks owner] Mark [Cuban] and [GM] Donnie [Nelson], the leaders of the franchise, are trying to play the right business move.”
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Poll: Best Rookie Point Guard Season

August 5th, 2017 at 2:00pm CST by Joshua Fischman

The 2017 NBA Draft was loaded with talented point guards, including first overall pick Markelle Fultz, No. 2 selection Lonzo Ball, and fellow lottery picks De’Aaron Fox, Frank Ntilikina, and Dennis Smith Jr. 

Fultz showed flashes of brilliance in the NBA Summer League amid overall inconsistent play before he ultimately injured his ankle in his Las Vegas debut. The 76ers guard was promptly shut down for the remainder of Summer League. This season, the rookie figures to be a regular fixture in the Philadelphia backcourt.

After dominating his freshman season at UCLA, Ball won Las Vegas Summer League MVP honors, racking up assists (9.3 APG) and steals (2.5 SPG), as well as points and rebounds. Although it is not clear whether Ball will start for the Lakers right out of the gate, he will certainly be the beneficiary of a hearty amount of playing time.

Fox is also expected to see his fair share of action this season, but averaged just 21.3 minutes per game in four Las Vegas Summer League games. Like Fultz and Ball, Fox exhibited tantalizing athleticism. The Kentucky product averaged a solid 11.8 points per contest and 3.0 assists. Fox’s 2.3 SPG were extremely impressive.

The Knicks drafted Ntilikina eighth overall because of his speed and agility. Last season, the point guard averaged just 15.5 minutes per game for Strasbourg in France but displayed tremendous promise and improved noticeably as a shooter. With D. Rose out of town, it appears as if the keys to Madison Square Garden are about to be Frank’s.

In six games in Las Vegas, Smith averaged 17.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 4.2 APG, shooting 45.7% from the floor and electrifying with the occasional powerful dunk. The Mavericks prospect also tallied 2.2 SPG.

This brings us to today’s poll: Which of these point guards will have the best rookie season in 2017/18?

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Nowitzk Gives Mavs' A Deal; Cuban Content With Young Core

August 4th, 2017 at 4:31pm CST by Austin Kent

The give-and-take relationship that Dirk Nowitzki and Mavs owner Mark Cuban have has never been on clearer display than when the 39-year-old took a $20MM pay cut between this year and last, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes.

“Mark and I obviously have a close, close relationship,” Nowitzki said. Last year, he really, really took care of me as we all know […] and it was my time to show again that I love being [with the Mavs]. I gave him a little bit of a deal, maybe.”

The big man is optimistic about the Mavs’ young core built around Harrison Barnes, Dennis Smith Jr. and, hopefully, Nerlens Noel, suggesting that he’s hopeful to leave the franchise in as good a position as possible when he retires after this season or next.

  • The Mavs have a young core in place that they’re happy with and aren’t afraid to let it develop organically. “I think that young core is what we want to continue to build on, grow with and hopefully surprise a lot of people,” owner Mark Cuban told Earl Sneed of Dallas’ official website. “I think Dennis [Smith Jr.] is going to be able to come in, play and hopefully have an impact his first year, and we don’t want to take anything away from that.“
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Mavericks Sign Brandon Ashley

August 3rd, 2017 at 6:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Mavericks have signed Brandon Ashley, according to a team press release. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ashley, who played for both of Dallas’ Summer League teams this offseason, spent the 2015 preseason with the Mavericks before being waived. He then joined the team’s G-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, for the 2015/16 campaign and earned a G-League All-Star appearance.

The power forward was not selected in the 2015 draft after playing three seasons at the University of Arizona. During his collegiate career, he helped the Wildcats reach the elite eight on two occasions.

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Southwest Notes: Cousins, Holiday, Noel

August 2nd, 2017 at 10:05pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Pelicans added Rajon Rondo this offseason and DeMarcus Cousins is thrilled about the addition, as he tells Chris Mannix of The Vertical.

“Rajon is like a big brother to me,” Cousins said. “He taught me a lot in that one season we had together. Our relationship remained strong and we always thought we’d wind up being teammates again later down the road. I never expected it to be this soon, but I’m also happy about it.”

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

  • The decision to play Jrue Holiday off the ball was forced upon the Pelicans because of their cap concerns, James Blancarte of Basketball Insiders explains. The team didn’t have much flexibility to add shooting this offseason, so moving Holiday—someone who’s a career 36.6% three-point shooter— off the ball adds a dimension to the offense without bringing in an expensive wing.
  • Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News speculates that the Mavericks will complete a deal with Nerlens Noel before training camp begins. However, the scribe notes that nothing has to happen until October 16 when the center’s qualifying offer expires.
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Players Who Can Veto Trades In 2017/18

August 2nd, 2017 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

No-trade clauses are rare in the NBA, but one such provision has been the subject of much discussion so far in 2017, as Carmelo Anthony made use of his NTC to block the Knicks from sending him to an undesirable destination. For much of the offseason, Anthony was focused on joining the Rockets, but he eventually agreed to a deal that sent him to Oklahoma City.

Anthony is one of just two NBA players whose contract includes an explicit no-trade clause, but there are still several players each year who have the ability to veto trades. A player who re-signs with his previous team on a one-year contract – or a two-year deal with an option year – is given no-trade protection, and so is a player who signs an offer sheet and has that offer matched by his previous team. Players who accept qualifying offers after their rookie deals expire can also block deals.

Taking into account that list of criteria, here are the players who must give their consent if their teams want to trade them during the 2017/18 league year:

No-trade clauses

Players whose offer sheets were matched

  • Otto Porter (Wizards)
    • Note: Even with his consent, Porter cannot be traded to the Nets during the 2017/18 league year.

Players accepting qualifying offers

Players re-signing for one year (or two years including an option)

In addition to the players listed above who can veto trades through the 2017/18 league year, there’s another small handful of players who can’t be dealt under any circumstance until at least next July. The following players signed a Designated Veteran Extension this season, which precludes them from being traded for a full calendar year:

Information from Basketball Insiders and ESPN was used in the creation of this post.

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Mavericks Sign Gian Clavell

August 1st, 2017 at 1:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

AUGUST 1: The Mavs have officially signed Clavell, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 22: The Mavericks have reached an agreement with undrafted guard Gian Clavell, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. He will receive a minimum deal with a partial guarantee.

Clavell will sign an exhibit 10 deal, which can be converted to a two-way contract if the Mavericks desire, according to Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days (Twitter link). Clavell can also be designated as an affiliate player, which means he would spend the entire season in the G-League.

Clavell, 23, was named Mountain West Player of the Year this season at Colorado State, averaging 20.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game with the Rams. Clavell also has extensive international experience with the Puerto Rican National Team.

He played for Miami during the summer league.

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