Dallas Mavericks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Popovich, Lawson, Murphy, Morant, Jackson Jr.

October 14th, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has put his players, particularly the less experienced ones, on notice. The longtime coach will be much less forgiving of mistakes this season, he told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.

“I think if anything it’s a little less tolerance,” he said. “We have been since the beginning (of training camp) … a little bit more disciplined in the sense of accountability, knowing that mistakes happen too often – (telling players) ‘You need to understand that by now.'”

Tre Jones believes it’s natural for Popovich to take that approach as expectations rise.

“A lot of us didn’t have a lot of those experiences we went through the last couple of years,” Jones said, “but now that we’ve had them and now that we’ve brought in guys that are helping us learn those things as well, you can’t make those same mistakes over and over again. There’s no room for that, if we want to win.”

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A.J. Lawson said he’s benefited significantly in Mavericks training camp, working alongside stars Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, he told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “Every day you learn something new with these guys,” Lawson said. “They’re great at what they do—Kyrie is one of the best ball-handlers, Luka is one of the best players, and Klay is one of the best shooters. Having these guys on the same team is a lot to learn from. I can take shooting techniques from Klay, ball-handling and decision-making from Kai, and learn how to run the floor with Luka. There’s so much opportunity as a wing player like me, and I’m excited for this season.” Lawson signed a two-way contract with Dallas over the weekend shortly after he was waived by the club from his standard deal.
It has been another rough preseason for the Pelicans’ Trey Murphy. He was sidelined at the beginning of last season with a left knee injury. Now, he’s dealing with a right hamstring strain that will keep him out of action at the start of this season. “Very tough,” Murphy told Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune. “Not starting the season again hurts me a lot. Doing everything I can summer-wise to be prepared for a season and having that happen really sucks. But just looking at it with perspective, it could be a lot worse. Good thing it’s an NBA season. I’ll be there for the majority of it.” Murphy will be a restricted free agent next summer unless he signs a rookie scale extension by Oct. 21.
Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are being held out of the rest of the preseason due to minor ailments. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins wants his stars to make the best of training camp in other ways. “I actually talked to both of those guys about being fully invested in all the practice reps and using their voices,” Jenkins said, per Michael Wallace of GrindCityMedia.com. “I want them to get mental reps, whether it’s through film sessions or their teammates’ film feedback that they’re getting. They’ve been ever present, so we’re going to make the most of the situation over the next week-plus. And thankfully, they’re going to be ready for opening night.”

Texas Notes: Thompson, Hardy, Collins, Johnson

October 13th, 2024 at 7:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Klay Thompson bristled as the notion that he can’t guard at a high level anymore and is eager to prove skeptics wrong, he told Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.

“I still want to get rid of that notion that I’m not the same defender I once was,” Thompson said. “I truly believe I am. I’m excited to prove people wrong, that I can still guard the elite players in this league.”

The fact that he has joined a Mavericks team with two stars in Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic adds to that motivation.

“That’s a big reason why I came here, those two guys,” Thompson said. “(I have) big dreams and aspirations with this team. They were so close last year (reaching the NBA Finals) and I really feel we have everything we need.”

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Reserve guard Jaden Hardy is intent on establishing himself as a rugged defender, he told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “Right now, I’m focused on defending the three better, picking up full court, and challenging guys while they bring the ball up,” he said. “I’m also working on being in the right spots on defense, communicating, and bringing energy.” Hardy will be a restricted free agent next summer.
Spurs big man Zach Collins made his preseason debut on Saturday after recovering from right shoulder surgery. He contributed 11 points in a win over Utah. “Considering (the layoff), I thought he looked really good,” coach Gregg Popovich said, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News. “He boarded. He banged with people. He wasn’t afraid of the shoulder or anything like that.”
In the same preseason game, Keldon Johnson excelled as the Spurs’ sixth man, pouring in 20 points. Johnson shed 10 pounds during the offseason and believes that has made a difference in his performance level, he told McDonald. “I feel fast, I feel strong,” Johnson said. “Best I felt in a long time.”

Southwest Notes: Mavericks, Jenkins, Barnes, Fultz

October 12th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Injuries have hampered the Mavericks as they try to get ready for the upcoming season, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. The most pressing absence is Luka Doncic, who has been sidelined by a left calf contusion he suffered shortly before the start of training camp. He’ll miss another game Monday, but there’s hope he might be ready for Thursday’s preseason finale.

P.J. Washington, who is projected to be the starting power forward, hasn’t played in the preseason either due to tightness in his left hip. Maxi Kleber is dealing with a sprained left ankle, and Dante Exum is expected to be out of action for three months after surgery on his right wrist.

“We have to be prepared for (players not being available) and that’s what we’re looking at right now is who can handle the backup point guard (role) if Spencer (Dinwiddie) has to start,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We’ll look at different lineups here. We have two games left. One in L.A. and one at home, just to see and be prepared if some of the guys who are hurt can’t go on the 24th (for the season opener).”

There were some encouraging signs on Saturday as Washington was able to practice and Doncic participated in a non-contact session, Curtis tweets. Curtis notes that the team went through a similar situation last October when Doncic suffered a calf strain in camp, but was able to return for the start of the season.

“For us, it’s almost normal,” Kidd said. “This was last year’s training camp. We’ve had some injuries. You just deal with it. You gotta teach and coach the guys that we have. You have to be prepared. We have always taken that approach that if guys are hurt, we have to go with the guys that can play … the nice thing is P.J., Luka and Maxi have been in the system so they understand what we’re trying to do, so it shouldn’t take them that long.”

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With his star players returning from injuries, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins wants his team to play at a faster pace, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Memphis tended to slow games down last season with Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. all missing significant time. “It’s going to be a matter of how we convert, whether it’s stops, rebounds, turnovers, even after made baskets,” Jenkins said. “Our ability to get the ball up the floor quicker — last year, we were trying to get into more of a positionless style of offense. We’re still going to lean into that, but there are things we’ve been tracking and practicing (with) the switch from defense to offense. Pace is a numerical thing, but it’s really a mentality thing.”
Harrison Barnes‘ high basketball IQ makes him a natural fit for the Spurs‘ starting lineup, Iko adds in the same piece. Throughout his career, Barnes has been a play-maker and low-maintenance glue guy who fits well around star players like Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul.
Free agent Markelle Fultz seems like a good option as a backup guard for the Grizzlies, especially if Morant, Bane and Marcus Smart are all going to be starters, Iko tweets. Iko contends that Fultz would be ready to handle minutes right away, while Yuki Kawamura and Scotty Pippen Jr. need time to learn.

Mavericks Notes: Thompson, Irving, Prosper, Doncic

October 11th, 2024 at 2:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The anticipation of his first game with the Mavericks led to a rare bout of nerves for Klay Thompson, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. After sitting out Monday’s preseason opener, Thompson was in his new uniform for the first time Thursday night, hitting three three-pointers and scoring 10 points in 18 minutes against Utah.

“I hadn’t been that nervous since the 2015 [NBA] Finals, Game 1,” Thompson said. “It felt so good to just get out there and play, and work those jitters out, because it was a new experience. It’s a natural feeling when you’ve been somewhere so long. … To finally put the uniform on, it felt amazing.”

The former Golden State star missed his first three attempts, but he discovered his shooting touch in the second quarter after returning to the game following a brief rest. Thompson admitted he needed to “sit down and breathe and realize it was just basketball,” and he felt more comfortable the rest of the way. Thompson added that his back “tightened up” later in the game, but he doesn’t believe it’s anything serious. Coach Jason Kidd expects him to play in the first half of Monday’s road game against the Clippers.

“I think Klay’s a weapon, no matter how fast he gets it or how closely he’s guarded,” Kidd said. “He’s able to get his shot up and he’s done that his whole career. For him tonight, there’s a lot of positives. He had some great looks that we all know he’s capable of making. He never rushes. He never forces anything. He probably turned down some shots that we would encourage for him to take. We trust that he’s making the right decision if he does turn it down to get something better.”

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Thursday also marked the first preseason action for Kyrie Irving after having offseason surgery on his left hand, notes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link). Irving scored 12 points in 16 minutes, and Kidd said he has already developed a great relationship with Thompson. “The chemistry with those two has been strong in practice,” Kidd said. “Seeing them together in a game setting was great, and it’s only going to get better as we keep working toward the regular season.”
Injuries to P.J. Washington and Maxi Kleber have created an opportunity for 2023 first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who was on the court for 33 minutes Thursday night, Afseth adds. He posted 10 points, 10 rebounds and two steals and put constant pressure on Utah’s ball-handlers. “It feels great to be out there starting with the guys,” Prosper said. “I’ve been working hard on defense, and I want to bring energy every night. I know there’s a lot to learn, but I’m getting more comfortable in the system, and the coaches and my teammates are helping me grow.”
Luka Doncic sat out the first two preseason games with a left calf contusion, and it’s not clear if he’ll play Monday. Kidd told reporters, including Afseth, that it’s good preparation in case Doncic is sidelined for an extended stretch during the regular season.

Mavericks Ink A.J. Lawson To Two-Way Contract

October 10th, 2024 at 4:56pm CST by Tristan Tucker

4:56 pm: Lawson’s new two-way deal with the Mavericks is now official, according to the NBA’s transaction log.

3:31 pm: The Mavericks are bringing back wing A.J. Lawson to a two-way contract, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).

Dallas originally waived Lawson on Tuesday from a standard contract. He was signed to a two-year, two-way contract in 2022 by the Mavericks and was converted to a standard deal in March of this year. With the team facing a roster crunch after bringing back Markieff Morris, Lawson’s non-guaranteed contract was waived. Because he only has two years of NBA service, he was eligible to sign back to a two-way deal.

Lawson averaged 18.4 points in Summer League for Dallas and appeared in 42 games with the team last year. Having also spent time with the Timberwolves, he holds a career average of 3.4 PPG across 57 total outings. He averaged 20.7 PPG and 7.0 RPG last year in the G League.

The Mavericks have a two-way slot open, with only Brandon Williams and Kessler Edwards claiming those spots for now. That means no other move will be required to bring Lawson back in.

Southwest Notes: Eason, Wembanyama, Paul, Irving, Ingram

October 10th, 2024 at 2:14pm CST by Tristan Tucker

After a promising rookie season in which he played all 82 games, Rockets forward Tari Eason played just 22 times in his sophomore season due to a leg injury. Now, Eason is reestablishing his value this preseason, Jonathan Feigen of Houston Chronicle writes.

Eason, when healthy, is an integral part of the Rockets’ present and future. A strong defensive-minded wing, he holds averages of 9.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 104 career games. The preseason minutes Eason is receiving represent his first NBA action since Jan. 1.

“I don’t think there were too many jitters just because this is my third year, and I try not to overcomplicate things,” Eason said. “The anticipation was real, but I don’t like to say jitters or nerves. When you spend your time worrying, I think that affects performance. So, I try not to worry too much, be as comfortable as possible, trust myself, trust my game, trust my work.”

Eason projects to be a key reserve for the team alongside other young players like Amen Thompson (if he isn’t promoted to the starting lineup), Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore.

“For me, it was just trying to figure out a way to fit in as well as possible with that second unit,” Eason said. “[I’m] just figuring it out.”

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The Spurs signed NBA legend Chris Paul this offseason, but Victor Wembanyama was blunt in his assessment of where the team stands. According to San Antonio Express-News’ Jeff McDonald, Wembanyama cautioned that flashy plays like lobs are among the first things opposing teams think to guard. That connection looked ahead of schedule in San Antonio’s Wednesday preseason game against Orlando, but Paul agreed that fundamentals need to be the first focus of synergy. “The game is tough,” Paul said. “A lot of people think it’s just going to be lob, lob, lob. But there’s a lot of regular, fundamental basketball we’ve got to play to hopefully at some point get to that.“
Kyrie Irving helped lead the Mavericks renaissance that culminated in them reaching the NBA Finals last season. In an extensive interview with The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Irving spoke on several Mavs and personal topics, including how he’s feeling content with a veteran role in Dallas. “I used to think leadership is just this lonely, lonely, lonely thing, and it’s not,” Irving said. “It’s literally surrounding yourself with great-minded people, great-hearted people, and being able to ask them to push you at times when you’re not able to push yourself.“
Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram won’t make a preseason appearance until the finale next Tuesday against the Rockets, NOLA.com’s Christian Clark tweets. Ingram is out for undisclosed reasons until then. “He’s fine,” head coach Willie Green said.

Mavericks Notes: Gortman, Morris, C. Marshall, Backcourt

October 9th, 2024 at 8:37pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

In the competition for the Mavericks’ open two-way roster spot, point guard Jazian Gortman may have taken the lead, writes Dallas Hoops Journal’s Grant Afseth (Substack link).

Gortman went undrafted out of the Overtime Elite in 2023. He suited up for G League affiliate squads for the Bucks and Trail Blazers last season, but has yet to appear in an NBA game. The 6’2″ pro joined the Mavericks on a training camp deal after impressing in Summer League.

The Mavericks currently have one open two-way slot on their roster. Gortman and fellow camp invitees Emanuel Miller and Jamarion Sharp are on Exhibit 10 deals that could be converted to two-way contracts prior to the start of the regular season.

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According to Afseth, power forward Markieff Morris, currently on an Exhibit 9 training camp deal, is expected to earn a standard contract. Dallas’ decision to waive shooting guard A.J. Lawson, who finished last season with the team, clears the way for Morris to make the standard roster as the 15th man.
Mavericks CEO Cynthia Marshall intends to retire on December 31, reports Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Marshall has been in her current role since 2018. “Cynt Marshall is a force of nature,” Dallas co-owner Patrick Dumont said in a team press statement. “I like to say her superpower is bringing people together, but the truth is she has many superpowers… Cynt has always gone above and beyond in everything she has done, and her leadership of the Dallas Mavericks is no exception. She is an indelible fixture in the history of this franchise, and we are eternally grateful.”
Now that Mavericks reserve guard Dante Exum is expected to miss the next three months following a right wrist surgery, there’s an opportunity for major rotation minutes for some of Dallas deeper-bench backcourt players, writes Afseth in another piece. “With Dante sidelined, we’re looking at guys like Brandon Williams and Spencer Dinwiddie to step up and fill those minutes,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “It’s unfortunate, but we have depth, and guys like Jaden Hardy will also have the chance to contribute more.” Afseth notes that, should Exum miss the reported three months, he’ll be sidelined for nearly half of the Mavericks’ regular season.
In case you missed it, newly-acquired young Mavericks guard Quentin Grimes, formerly of the Knicks, is looking to bring his considerable upside to bear for the reigning West champs in 2024/25.

Mavs’ Exum Undergoes Wrist Surgery, Expected To Miss Three Months

October 9th, 2024 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks guard Dante Exum underwent surgery on Tuesday to address a right wrist injury, the team announced in a press release. Reporting last week indicated that Exum had suffered a “serious” wrist injury and that surgery was one of the treatment options being considered.

While the Mavs’ announcement didn’t include an estimated recovery timeline, Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link) reports that Exum is expected to be sidelined for the next three months. That would put him in line for a return sometime in the new year.

Exum, 29, was the fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft, but battled health issues early in his NBA career and struggled to develop into a reliable rotation piece. He spent two seasons overseas from 2021-23 and played well for FC Barcelona in Spain and KK Partizan in Serbia, earning another shot in the NBA.

The 6’5″ guard signed a two-year contract with the Mavericks during the 2023 offseason and played a regular role for the Western Conference champions last season, averaging 7.8 PPG and 2.9 APG with a .533/.491/.779 shooting line and strong defense in 55 games (19.8 MPG).

Once again though, injuries have been an obstacle since his return stateside. Exum missed time last season due to foot and knee ailments, then had to sit out Australia’s first game at the Paris Olympics in July due to a compound dislocation of his right index finger. Now he’s expected to be on the shelf for roughly half of the 2024/25 regular season.

With Exum unavailable this fall, the Mavericks figure to lean more heavily on veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie and third-year pro Jaden Hardy for backcourt depth behind superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Mavericks Waive A.J. Lawson

October 8th, 2024 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks have waived shooting guard A.J. Lawson, the team announced today (via Twitter).

Although Lawson was on a non-guaranteed contract, his release is a little more notable than many roster cuts this month, since he was on a standard multiyear deal that had carried over to this season, rather than an Exhibit 10/training camp contract.

Lawson, 24, signed a two-year, two-way contract with Dallas back in December 2022, shortly after being waived by Minnesota. He remained on that deal until March 2024, when he was promoted to the standard roster on a new four-year contract that was only guaranteed for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.

Lawson appeared in a total of 56 NBA games for the Mavericks during his two seasons with the team, including 42 in 2023/24. He averaged 3.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per contest and posted a shooting line of .457/.307/.548 at the NBA level. The former South Carolina standout also played seven times for the Texas Legends in the G League last season, averaging 20.7 PPG and 7.0 RPG with a .530 FG%.

Dallas is carrying 14 players on guaranteed contracts. Veteran forward Markieff Morris, who has a non-guaranteed salary, is considered the heavy favorite to claim the 15th standard roster spot, assuming the team carries a full roster to open the season.

It’s worth noting that the Mavs do have a two-way slot available, so if they still like Lawson and want to bring him back, they could re-sign him to a two-way contract as long as he clears waivers — his multiyear deal wasn’t eligible to be directly converted into a two-way.

NBA GMs High On Thunder’s Offseason Moves, Celtics’ Title Chances

October 8th, 2024 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder made the best roster moves during the 2024 offseason, according to the NBA’s general managers. Within his annual survey of the league’s top basketball decision-makers, John Schuhmann of NBA.com writes that 37% of his respondents picked Oklahoma City as having the best summer, with the Sixers coming in second place at 33%. The Knicks got 20% of the vote share, while no other club received more than a single vote.

It was one of many favorable outcomes in the survey for the Thunder, who were overwhelmingly selected as the team with the best young core — 60% of GMs selected OKC, compared to 20% for the second-place Magic.

New Thunder guard Alex Caruso was chosen by general managers as the most underrated offseason acquisition, receiving 23% of that vote share, while last year’s Most Valuable Player runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was picked as this year’s MVP favorite (40%), narrowly edging Mavericks star Luka Doncic (30%).

The Thunder also received a handful of votes from the league’s GMs as the team that will win the 2025 NBA Finals, but at 13%, they finished a distant second to the Celtics, who earned a whopping 83% of the vote. Besides those two clubs, only the Mavericks (3%) received a vote to become this season’s champions.

Here are a few more interesting results from Schuhmann’s GM survey, which is worth checking out in full:

New Sixers forward Paul George got 60% of the vote as the offseason acquisition who will have the biggest impact in 2024/25, followed by new Knicks Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns at 13% apiece. The Towns trade, meanwhile, was named the most surprising offseason move, eking out George leaving Los Angeles for Philadelphia (27% to 23%).
Unsurprisingly, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama was the overwhelming choice (77%) for which player the GMs would most want to start a franchise with. Gilgeous-Alexander and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic each earned three votes in that category, while Doncic got one.
The league’s general managers are high on No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard — the Rockets‘ guard is their pick to win the Rookie of the Year award (50%) ahead of betting favorite Zach Edey of the Grizzlies (30%). Sheppard also comfortably received the largest vote share (43%) when the GMs were asked which rookie will be the best player in five years. Spurs guard Stephon Castle (17%) and Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (13%) were the runners-up in that category.
There was no consensus among the GMs on which 2024 draftee was the biggest steal. Wizards guard Carlton Carrington, Kings guard Devin Carter, Pacers wing Johnny Furphy, Lakers forward Dalton Knecht, Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon, and Thunder guard Nikola Topic each received three votes to lead the way.
Among newly hired head coaches, Mike Budenholzer of the Suns is the one GMs feel will have the biggest impact on his new club. Budenholzer received 40% of the vote, beating out Kenny Atkinson of the Cavaliers and J.B. Bickerstaff of the Pistons (20% apiece). Meanwhile, Spurs guard Chris Paul (30%) and Raptors guard Garrett Temple (20%) are the active players that GMs feel would make the best head coaches down the road.
Asked what they’d change about the NBA, 20% of GMs said the rules related to the tax aprons, trades, and roster construction are too restrictive and/or should be “indexed to (a) team’s market,” per Schuhmann, making it the top response.