Dallas Mavericks Post draft grade

Coming up short in this past NBA Finals is certainly not going to sit well with the Dallas Mavericks for the foreseeable future. There is never a guarantee that a team will be among the last two standing in mid-to-late June the following year. However, those teams are usually well positioned to potentially reach that point again. Unless of course they lose key contributors in free agency, or the front office looks to blow things up for one reason or another.

In Dallas’ case, they are doing everything they can to remain relevant and, in a position, to contend for a championship this upcoming season. The bulk of that work was done at the trade deadline this past February. The Mavericks sent forward Richaun Holmes and their 2024 1st round pick (via the Oklahoma City Thunder) to the Washington Wizards for center Daniel Gafford. On the same day, they acquired forward P.J. Washington and two 2nd round picks in exchange for guard Seth Curry, forward Grant Williams, and a lightly protected 1stpick in 2027.

Gafford helped sure up the interior for a Dallas team that ranked 22nd in points in the paint (53.5) and 26th in blocked shots per game (4.2) at the time of the trade. He played an instrumental role in the Mavericks playoff run, especially in the series against Oklahoma City and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Scoring double-digits in eight of the 11 combined games in those series, Gafford also averaged 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. A solid screen and roll player on the offensive end, he is a consistent and dangerous lob threat when paired with Luka Doncic.

Washington proved to be the stretch four that Dallas had been looking to add. His three-point barrages in the early part of their series against the Thunder were a big reason why the Mavericks ultimately won. While Washington struggled to find the same success from the outside against Minnesota and the Boston Celtics, he still managed to average over 10 points per game in both series.

Both are on very team-friendly contracts for the next two years. Both will turn 26-years-old before the season starts and will be going into their sixth year in the league. Their age and experience align closely with Doncic and their potential extensions coincide with Kyrie Irving coming off the books, provided he does not get extended prior to the end of the 2025-2026 season.

But their biggest acquisition came via a sign-and-trade to acquire guard Klay Thompson from the Golden State Warriors. The deal sent guard/forward Josh Green to the Charlotte Hornets and two 2nd round picks to Golden State (their own 2nd round pick in 2031 and the least favorable between the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers in 2025). Dallas then signed the 34-year-old veteran to a 3-year, $50 million dollar contract.

Thompson is not the player he was prior to an ACL tear in his left knee during the Warriors’ playoff run in 2019 and a torn right Achilles in November of 2020. That said, he is still one of the games best shooters and a plus wing defender. Both of which the Mavericks need. While Thompson did average just 17.9 points per game last year, his lowest since the 2012-2013 season, that would have slotted him in as the third scoring option for Dallas last year which would have been perfect for them.

He will immediately step into the role along the wing vacated by Derrick Jones Jr. and provide more consistent scoring from the outside. Thompson is used to working off the scoring gravity of a ball dominant guard – Steph Curry – and now has the benefit of playing with two of them in Doncic and Irving. There will be an ample amount of shot volume for him with the departures Green, Jones Jr., and Tim Hardaway Jr. Those three combined for 25.5 field goal attempts and 14 three-point attempts per game during the regular season. None of them shot the ball from deep as well as Thompson (38.7%) despite him having a down year in that regard.

It is reasonable for the Mavericks to expect both his career scoring average (19.6) and his efficiency from beyond the arc (41.3%) to revert to the mean. Especially, as Thompson is still at the tail end of his prime and has never relied on athleticism to get by on the offensive end. Defensively, he should still add plus value as an above average on-ball defender and understands how to operate within the team’s concept and schemes.

The biggest thing Dallas needs from him is to remain a key contributor that can stay on the floor during a deep playoff run. That was something that Hardaway Jr. did not manage to do last season. He appeared in just two games against the Timberwolves, never registering a point. Hardaway Jr. did have a 15-point outburst via all triples (5-7) in the Mavericks lone win in the finals. However, he played a total of 36 minutes in three other games and never scored.

Dallas selected Ariel Hukporti from Germany with the 58th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and then traded him to the New York Knicks for Melvin Ajinca of France (selected 51st). In late July, Ajinca signed a 1-year deal with ASVEL to stay overseas. Obviously, he will not be playing for the Mavericks this year.

To grade Dallas’ draft, we need to factor in trade for Gafford, which was a win for them. A late second round pick is not going to move the needle all that much in this scenario. But if Ajinca ever plays for the Mavericks and positively contributes, he will likely exceed the expectations of the 51st overall pick. If he never plays in the league, then it will not be considered a wasted pick.

After all, the difference between Dallas winning it all this season and failing short is not going to be a late second round pick. The moves they made at the trade deadline last year and the signing of Thompson are the biggest factors. A lot hinges on him not regressing further in his 14th season. But with a roster now full of players with NBA Finals experience, most of which are still in their prime, the Mavericks have positioned themselves over the last few months to make another deep run in June.

Final Grade: B