NLL Insider - Team by Team: Dallas Mavericks

by gc6, updated on Sunday, September 30 2018, 12:41 pm EST

2017-2018 Finish: 38-44

Season Highlight:

The run Dallas made at the end of the year was something special, and they snatched a playoff berth by the absolute barest of margins, but unfortunately that meant they came up against a powerhouse team come playoff time.

From weeks 15-20 they looked spectacular and went 16-8 including a win streak of 6 in a row during that time. Jordan Clarkson was putting up some monster games scoring wise with a couple of big ones catching our eye. 42 Points in a win against Houston and 38 Points in a win against the LA Clippers. They had all the momentum to grab that converted 8 seed and they did, much to the fans of the Sacramento Kings Displeasure.

Season Lowlight:

Finishing as the 8th seed.

There's something to be said for making playoffs, its great and exciting. But is there any pleasure in coming up against a very scary team that you're almost certain to get a belting from?

Yes the Oklahoma City Thunder are that good, and its almost worth finishing 9th and heading into the lotto isn't it?

To the credit of the Mav's they did manage to take 2 wins off the Thunder on their way to a first round exit.

Best Trade:

The Dallas Mavericks send James Ennis to the New Orleans Pelicans. The New Orleans Pelicans send Alex Len to the Dallas Mavericks.

The Dallas Mavericks send a 2nd-Rounder (Cle), 2nd-Rounder (Mia) and 2nd-Rounder (Det) to the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Dallas Mavericks receive 5 GM points. The New Orleans Pelicans trade -5 GM points.

Getting the Best player (arguably) in the league for a handful of second rounders and a role player is a great get. Every team in the league had the chance to make this trade and Dallas did it without even putting a dint in the war chest.

Everybody loved Alex Len yea?

Worst Trade:

The Mavs made quite a few trades during the year, 20 by my count. And its hard to pick out a bad one with a lot of big names being moved around. But im gonna say this one.

The Dallas Mavericks send Edrice Adebayo to the Detroit Pistons. The Detroit Pistons send Jusuf Nurkic to the Dallas Mavericks.

The Dallas Mavericks send a 1st-Rounder (Bkn) to the Detroit Pistons.

I'm just not that high on Nurkic as a player at all, he did sign a decent contract in the NBA this off season though, but he should be dominating. It feels like he should be having a monster year any day now and maybe he will next season and ill have to eat my words. But if I'm doing this trade I'll take Bam Adebayo and a first rounder, even a late one, every time.
Maybe I'm too high on Bam haha

Other Notable Trades:

The Dallas Mavericks send Nerlens Noel and Jonathan Isaac to the Denver Nuggets. The Dallas Mavericks send Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the LA Clippers. The Denver Nuggets send Otto Porter and Norman Powell to the Dallas Mavericks. The LA Clippers send Tristan Thompson to the Denver Nuggets.

The Dallas Mavericks send a 2nd-Rounder (Orl) to the Denver Nuggets.

The Denver Nuggets trade -10 GM points.The LA Clippers receive 10 GM points

Really liked this for Dallas, got a great player locked up long term and a young role player on a decent contract for serial free agents Nerlens Noel and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, cause you cant afford to drop points on them every year for one season contracts.
Losing Isaac hurts but he could be anything at this point.

The Boston Celtics send Dwight Powell to the Indiana Pacers. The Boston Celtics send Carmelo Anthony to the Phoenix Suns. The Dallas Mavericks send Paul Millsap to the Boston Celtics. The Dallas Mavericks send Jusuf Nurkic to the Indiana Pacers. The Dallas Mavericks send Kyle Collinsworth to the Phoenix Suns. The Indiana Pacers send Steven Adams to the Dallas Mavericks. The Phoenix Suns send Nemanja Bjelica to the Atlanta Hawks. The Phoenix Suns send Marcus Georges-Hunt to the Boston Celtics. The Phoenix Suns send Jordan Clarkson to the Dallas Mavericks. The Phoenix Suns send Ben McLemore to the Sacramento Kings.

The Atlanta Hawks send a 2nd-Rounder (Orl) to the Phoenix Suns. The Phoenix Suns send a 2nd-Rounder (Mil) and 2nd-Rounder (Utah) to the Dallas Mavericks.

The Atlanta Hawks use their trade exception over $ 3,949,999. The Sacramento Kings use their trade exception over $ 5,200,000.

The Atlanta Hawks receive 7 GM points. The Boston Celtics receive 7 GM points. The Phoenix Suns trade -19 GM points.The Sacramento Kings receive 5 GM points.

Good luck reading and understanding all that, cause a 6 team trade is unheard of and has made my head explode.

But lets get to analyzing the Dallas part. Nurkic Millsap and Collingsworth go out and Steven Adams, Jordan Clarkson and a couple of late seconds come in.

All depends on which of these players you prefer really and i couldn't blame you for loving or hating it for the Mavs, or maybe your just ok with it?.

The Dallas Mavericks send a 1st-Rounder (Dal) and 2nd-Rounder (Utah) to the Golden State Warriors. The Golden State Warriors send a 2nd-Rounder (Det) and 1st-Rounder (OKC) to the Dallas Mavericks.

The Dallas Mavericks trade -5 GM points.The Golden State Warriors receive 5 GM points.

So now we know what this Dallas pick turned in to. Collin Sexton dropped down the NLL draft and had a great summer league. The Dallas pick was Collin Sexton. Would you do this trade again knowing what we know now, and the fact that the Oklahoma City pick is all but guaranteed to be a late first?

Free Agency:

Plenty happening in the Mavs front office for free agency this season.
Tyler Zeller, Loul Deng, Joe Harris and Abdel Nader are all Unrestricted free agents.

Fred Van Vleet and Luke Kornet are Restricted free agents.

If you're asking me who is a lock to return, id have to say Van Vleet and Harris will be back in Dallas Mavericks uniforms next season 100%. The others I'm not so sure, is Deng worth throwing some GM points at now that's hes been reunited with his father Thibs?

Star:

Alex Len, it has to be Alex Len, who doesn't like Alex Len?

Was Right in the MVP discussions throughout the whole year, he did slow down a bit but it was a wild ride whilst it lasted.

Goat:

Abdel Nader

It even sounds like a made up name you'd find in a random 2k season. And he sure played like one. Played 45 games for the mavs during the season and somehow even managed to start in 7 of them. 13 minutes for 3 points a game. 1 point a game in the playoffs, which has convinced me hes the sole reason Dallas lost in the first round. hahaha

Draft Grades (from insider)

PF Alize Johnson, Missouri State senior Pick 49

He looks like Jimmy Butler and plays like Draymond Greenâ€¦why didnâ€™t the Thunder draft him? Heâ€™s a work horse and forced his way on the floorâ€¦sound familiar? If he keeps up that trend, he could very well follow those footsteps. Grade: B+

SF Arnoldas Kulboka, Lithuania Pick 60

Like Svi, Kulboka is a flat out shooter except heâ€™s young, from Lithuania and sorely needs to fill out and gains ome experience before he can attempt to ply his shooting trade overseas. At 60, getting a stash with an elite skill is solid. Grade: A

The Future:
Russel Westbrook.........

Massive Offseason trade bought in one of the best players on the planet, he is now the entire Dallas Mavericks Organisation. ( apologies to Adams and Vucevic)

Can he shoot Dallas up the standings and into a genuine contender?
I'm saying yes.

NLL Insider - Team by Team: Dallas Mavericks

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