Dallas Mavericks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: McGee, Powell, Ingram, Jones, Tate, More

November 4th, 2022 at 7:44am CST by Luke Adams

Signed by the Mavericks during free agency in July after being promised a starting job, JaVale McGee has indeed started all six games he has played so far this season in Dallas. However, he hasn’t logged more than 14 minutes in any of those games, and was on the court for a season-low eight minutes on Wednesday vs. Utah.

With Dwight Powell, a full-time starter last season, playing more than McGee in each of the last three games, head coach Jason Kidd was asked about the Mavericks’ first-quarter struggles and whether Powell could move into the starting five in McGee’s place. As Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News tweets, Kidd first joked that he’d do it if he could start six players, then admitted it would be “something we talk about.”

As Tim MacMahon of ESPN notes (via Twitter), the Mavs have been a minus-30 in 68 minutes with McGee on the court, compared to a plus-50 in 56 minutes when Powell plays. Powell also earned a rave review on Wednesday from Spencer Dinwiddie, who spoke to reporters for upwards of four minutes about the big man, praising him for doing “a glory-less job” that allows his teammates to succeed, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.

“In a lot of ways, he’s like that great left guard for a football team where Tom Brady is getting all the accolades and endorsements but if that dude isn’t protecting his blind side and isn’t doing it every single time, Tom Brady is getting his head knocked off,” Dinwiddie said. “DP is the ultimate pro. I have the upmost respect for him and I hope every single Mavs fan listens to this monologue and has a different respect level for DP because everybody is not going to get to shoot 20 times and score 30 points and do all of the flashy stuff and dunk and stuff.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Pelicans forwards Brandon Ingram (concussion) and Herbert Jones (knee) have both been listed as probable for Friday’s game vs. Golden State, the team announced in a press release. Jones was initially listed as probable for New Orleans’ game on Wednesday before being downgraded to questionable and then out. However, it sounds like the Pels could have both players – neither of whom has played since October 23 – back tonight.
After missing the first four games of the regular season due to an ankle issue, Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate played in the next three, but has since missed two more. As Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle writes, the team is trying to play it safe with Tate’s injury going forward. “It’s just a lot of games,” Tate said. “We just want to be cautious with it and make sure it’s fine. There’s just some things we have to discuss so I’ll be able to be consistent and be me. This is just part of the recovery process.”
Although John Wall was away from the team during his final year in Houston, Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. said the five-time All-Star made a lasting impression on him during their time as teammates, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. “John has impacted me tremendously,” Porter told Iko. “Just him being a big brother and a vet when he was here when I was first switching my position. I had a great vet to lean on and that was John Wall. … He helped me when I was trying to learn how to run a team and seeing him back out there (with the Clippers) was a blessing.”
Long viewed as a model NBA franchise, the Spurs now face unfamiliar scrutiny as a result of the accusations levied against the team in a lawsuit filed by a former employee, says Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News.

Wood Wants To Be All-Star; Powell May Spell McGee In Starting Five

October 29th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Mavericks big man Christian Wood discussed playing with Luka Doncic, adjusting to coming off the bench in Dallas, and his goals for the rest of his career. “Individually, of course, I want to be an All-Star in this league. I think I have a good chance if I get the time and the minutes to show what I can really do. I think I can definitely make a case for that,” Wood said. “I want to try to win as many games as I can. I want to get to the playoffs. I haven’t been to the playoffs one time in my career. I want to try to make a run in the playoffs.”
The Mavericks are considering giving JaVale McGee a rest night on Saturday vs. Oklahoma City, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. However, the plan would be to start Dwight Powell, not Wood, at center. Powell has only seen seven minutes of action so far this season, but Dallas wants to keep Wood as the sixth man, since he has thrived in that role so far, MacMahon explains.

Forbes Releases 2022 NBA Franchise Valuations

October 27th, 2022 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

For the first time since Forbes began issuing annual valuations of NBA teams over two decades ago, a team other than the Knicks or Lakers ranks atop the publication’s list of 2022’s most valuable franchises.

According to Mike Ozanian and Justin Teitelbaum of Forbes, the Warriors are now considered the NBA’s most valuable club, with a record-setting valuation of $7 billion following a championship season.

Forbes’ duo explains that the Warriors generated more revenue and operating income in 2021/22 than any other team in NBA history, buoyed by $150MM in arena sponsorships and advertising, along with $250MM from premium seating.

While the Warriors enjoyed the biggest bump in value since Forbes’ most recent round of valuations, every other NBA team saw its valuation rise during that time as well, according to Ozanian and Teitelbaum, who say the average franchise is now valued at $2.86 billion. That’s 15% more than a year ago, despite the fact that the stock market is down 15% over the same time period.

Of the NBA’s 30 teams, only one – the Nets – lost money last season, per Forbes’ report, which states that record-setting sponsorship and advertising revenue ($1.35 billion last season) has put the league back on its “pre-Covid growth trajectory.” Further growth is anticipated going forward, with a new television and media deal to be negotiated in the coming years — it will take effect in 2025.

Although Forbes’ figures are just estimates and often don’t quite match up with the sale prices for franchises that change hands, they’re still useful for getting a sense of the league’s most and least valuable teams.

Here’s Forbes’ full list of NBA franchise valuations for 2022:

Golden State Warriors: $7 billion
New York Knicks: $6.1 billion
Los Angeles Lakers: $5.9 billion
Chicago Bulls: $4.1 billion
Boston Celtics: $4.0 billion
Los Angeles Clippers: $3.9 billion
Brooklyn Nets: $3.5 billion
Dallas Mavericks: $3.3 billion
Houston Rockets: $3.2 billion
Philadelphia 76ers: $3.15 billion
Toronto Raptors: $3.1 billion
Miami Heat: $3 billion
Phoenix Suns: $2.7 billion
Washington Wizards: $2.5 billion
Milwaukee Bucks: $2.3 billion
Portland Trail Blazers: $2.1 billion
Cleveland Cavaliers: $2.05 billion
Sacramento Kings: $2.03 billion
Utah Jazz: $2.025 billion
San Antonio Spurs: $2 billion
Atlanta Hawks: $1.975 billion
Denver Nuggets: $1.93 billion
Detroit Pistons: $1.9 billion
Oklahoma City Thunder: $1.875 billion
Orlando Magic: $1.85 billion
Indiana Pacers: $1.8 billion
Charlotte Hornets: $1.7 billion
Minnesota Timberwolves: $1.67 billion
Memphis Grizzlies: $1.65 billion
New Orleans Pelicans: $1.6 billion

Bucks, Heat Have NBA’s Oldest Rosters; Thunder Youngest

October 26th, 2022 at 11:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks have the NBA’s oldest opening night roster this season, per a 2022/23 roster survey published by the league on Tuesday.

According to the NBA’s data, the average age of a Milwaukee player is 29.47 years old, with 36-year-olds George Hill and Wesley Matthews and 35-year-old Joe Ingles among the veterans contributing to that league-high average. The Heat (average age of 28.13 years old), Suns (28.05), Clippers (27.98), and Mavericks (27.89) have the next-oldest rosters, according to the NBA.

On the other end of the spectrum, no team has a younger roster than the Thunder, whose current group includes just one player older than 27 (Mike Muscala, who is 31). The average age of a Thunder player is just 23.14 years old, putting them ahead of fellow rebuilding teams like the Rockets (23.58), Spurs (23.84), and Magic (23.94). Interestingly, the Grizzlies (24.27) are the league’s fifth-youngest team, despite coming off a 56-win season.

Here are a few other tidbits of note from the NBA’s roster survey for the 2022/23 season:

The Bucks and Thunder are also the most and least experienced NBA teams, respectively. The average Milwaukee player has 7.24 years of NBA service, while the average Oklahoma City player has just 1.94. That puts the Bucks comfortably ahead of the Clippers (6.56) and Celtics (5.82), while the Thunder are well behind the Rockets (2.29) and Magic (3.00).
Kentucky (27) and Duke (25) have the most players currently in the NBA of any college program. No other school has more than 12 (UCLA).
The average NBA player stands at 6-foot-6.74, weighs 217.62 pounds, and is 26.01 years old. The league identifies Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (6-foot-6.5, 220 pounds, and 26 years old) as the player who most closely resembles the league’s “composite” player in terms of height, weight, and age.
There are 13 sets of brothers currently in the NBA, including three Antetokounmpos (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and Kostas Antetokounmpo) and three Holidays (Jrue Holiday, Justin Holiday, and Aaron Holiday).
The league’s survey also includes some data on the youngest and oldest players, which we previously outlined here.

Southwest Notes: Wood, Tate, Pelicans, Spurs

October 25th, 2022 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks star Luka Doncic likes what he has seen from new teammate Christian Wood so far this season, as Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News writes. Wood has racked up 50 points and 20 rebounds in just 49 minutes of action in his first two games with Dallas.

“He’s a great player,” said Doncic, who has a +26.3 net rating when sharing the court with Wood. “He listens to us. He accepts his role, and he’s just doing amazing stuff out there. It’s only two games, but he’s going to be very good for us.”

Wood, who has come off the bench so far, is making a strong case to be promoted to the starting five, but the Mavericks are unlikely to make any immediate changes to their lineup, according to Tim Cato of The Athletic. Dallas’ coaching staff wants to assess its current rotation across a larger sample before drawing any conclusions, Cato explains.

“We’ll look at a 10-game stretch, maybe,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “We can’t do two games and figure that’s the way we’re going to roll. You don’t get enough data.”

Let’s round up a few more items from around the Southwest…

Barring a setback, Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate will return to action on Wednesday in Utah, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). Tate, who signed a new three-year contract with Houston in the offseason, has been on the shelf for the team’s first four games of the season due to a right ankle injury.
Brandon Ingram (concussion protocol), Zion Williamson (right posterior hip / low back contusion) and Herb Jones (right knee hyperextension) have all been ruled out for the Pelicans‘ game vs. Dallas on Tuesday, the team announced (via Twitter). All three players were initially listed as questionable, so they’ll presumably be considered day-to-day going forward.
The Spurs, widely expected to be a player in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, are off to a 3-1 start this season. Swingman Devin Vassell admitted after Monday’s win in Minnesota that the outside expectations for the team have been a motivating factor. “I try not to listen to the outside noise, but I’m not going to lie, it does get frustrating when everybody is talking about tanking, tanking, tanking,” Vassell said, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “We are professional athletes. We all want to play. We all want to win. And that’s how we are going to approach every game.”

Campazzo's Visa Issues Resolved

October 24th, 2022 at 8:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Facundo Campazzo‘s visa issues have been resolved and he’ll be in uniform Tuesday and ready to play in the Mavericks’ game in New Orleans, coach Jason Kidd told Dwain Price of the team’s website (Twitter link) and other media members.

Campazzo was signed to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract last week to add depth for the Mavericks at point guard. Campazzo spent the last two seasons with the Nuggets after establishing himself as one of the top point guards in the EuroLeague.

Mavericks Notes: Wood, Doncic, Campazzo, Hardy

October 23rd, 2022 at 9:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks big man Christian Wood is emerging as an early favorite for the Sixth Man of the Year award, writes Dwain Price of Mavs.com. Wood, acquired in an offseason trade with Houston, torched the Grizzlies for 25 points and 12 rebounds Saturday night and became the first player ever to reach 25 points in each of his first two games with Dallas.

“He’s being himself and I think he’s getting comfortable each day as you see on both ends,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We need him to score. We’re not asking him to do anything that he hasn’t done in the past in other places.”

Wood was a full-time starter during his two years in Houston, so there were questions about whether he could adjust to returning to a bench role. It hasn’t mattered so far, as Wood has totaled 50 points and 20 rebounds in just 49 minutes on the court.

“I’m just trying to play hard and do the best I can in the role that I’m in, and that’s really about it,” he said. “I’m motivated coming off the bench or starting – either way. I’ve said that before. This team trusts me and their trust is even getting better with me in terms of offensively and defensively.”

There’s more from Dallas:

Luka Doncic is making an early statement in the MVP race, according to Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News. Doncic was dominant in Saturday’s showdown with Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, scoring 21 points in the first eight minutes on his way to a 32-point night that also included 10 assists, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals. “He’s playing the game at a different level right now,” Kidd said. “It’s kind of like he picked up where he ended last season, playing at an extremely high level for us. I thought his defense was [also] incredible tonight. One of the best defensive performances I saw — and he’ll tell you, too.”
Facundo Campazzo, who signed with the Mavericks this week, remained inactive Saturday as the team tries to recalibrate his work visa, Caplan tweets. The Mavs hope to have everything finalized by Tuesday.
The Texas Legends used a first-round pick in Saturday’s G League draft to add Amauri Hardy, the older brother of Mavericks rookie Jaden Hardy, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. They were teammates last season with the G League Ignite. “I feel like it helps me a lot, having my family close to me,” Jaden Hardy said. “It’s going to be like home for me. It’s giving me that home feeling.”

Wood Dazzles In Mavericks' Debut

October 20th, 2022 at 8:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks’ collapse against Phoenix in their season opener was a downer but Christian Wood‘s performance was uplifting, Tim Cato of The Athletic writes. Acquired from Houston early in the summer, Wood showed he might be Luka Doncic‘s best co-star to date while pumping in 25 points. “It’s just a trust thing,” Wood said. “I have to build my trust on this new team. Once I do that, I’m good.”

Mavericks Sign Facundo Campazzo

October 19th, 2022 at 1:55pm CST by Luke Adams

OCTOBER 19: Campazzo’s one-year deal with Dallas is non-guaranteed, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). The guard will earn $10,552 per day as long as he remains under contract.

OCTOBER 18: The Mavericks have officially signed free agent guard Facundo Campazzo, the team announced today (via Twitter). Dallas had an open spot on its 15-man regular season roster, so no corresponding move was required to make room on the roster for the new addition.

After initially reporting the Mavs’ interest in Campazzo, Marc Stein said last Thursday that the two sides were in advanced discussions on a one-year deal. Multiple subsequent reports indicated that the veteran point guard would sign with the team, and he reportedly arrived in Dallas over the weekend to take his physical and put pen to paper.

Campazzo spent the last two seasons with the Nuggets after establishing himself as one of the best point guards in the EuroLeague. He averaged 5.6 points, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in 130 appearances (20.1 MPG) across his two seasons in Denver, knocking down just 37.2% of his shots from the floor.

The Mavericks entered training camp hoping that one of their in-house options would emerge as a reliable third ball-handling option behind Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie, but ultimately decided to add an experienced veteran to fill that role to open the season.

Campazzo’s friendship with Doncic likely helped him stand out from the other free agent point guards the Mavs could have targeted — the duo played for Real Madrid from 2015-18.

Campazzo reportedly received a one-year deal and it’s a safe bet that it’ll be worth the veteran’s minimum ($1,836,090). However, it’s unclear whether or not it’ll be guaranteed. Dallas’ other 14 players on standard contracts all have guaranteed salaries, so if Campazzo’s deal is non-guaranteed, it would give the club some flexibility with that 15th roster spot.

Examining Luka Doncic's Potential Path To MVP

October 19th, 2022 at 10:39am CST by Luke Adams

With Mavericks star Luka Doncic entering the season as the betting favorite to be named the NBA’s 2023 Most Valuable Player, Tim Cato of The Athletic takes a look at Doncic’s potential path to winning the award. In Cato’s view, as long as Doncic puts up his usual huge numbers, he would be a strong candidate for MVP if Dallas wins 50 games and “overwhelmingly likely” to win the award if the team gets to 55 or more victories.