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Dallas Mavericks: Forming Chemistry Will Be Easy In 2016-17

By Cole Mentzel

January 26, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) is congratulated by guard Wesley Matthews (23) and guard Deron Williams (8) after scoring a basket against Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
January 26, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) is congratulated by guard Wesley Matthews (23) and guard Deron Williams (8) after scoring a basket against Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Dallas Mavericks successfully pieced together a competitive roster for 2016-17 and they’re set to have some tight chemistry within the locker room.

The Dallas Mavericks did not have the offseason that they expected to have. After missing out on their top two targets of Mike Conley and Hassan Whiteside, the hopes for an intriguing season began to fade.

But just like the past five offseasons, the Mavs got to work and picked up the pieces after the major dominoes had already fallen.

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Their signature signing of the season came in the form of Harrison Barnes, who signed a max four-year, $94 million deal. They were also able to pry Andrew Bogut away from the Golden State Warriors in a trade, since the team was looking to shed salaries after gaining Kevin Durant.

After they had formed their starting five, the Mavs went looking for bench players and signed guard Seth Curry to a two-year, $6 million deal and forward Quincy Acy to a two-year, minimum deal. Both players are 25 years old and both played with the Sacramento Kings in 2015-16.

In the process, the Mavs were able to re-sign players like Dwight Powell, Deron Williams and, most importantly, Dirk Nowitzki, while signing second round draft selection A.J. Hammons to a guaranteed, three-year deal.

They also added partially guaranteed players like NBA Summer League standout Jonathan Gibson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Nicolas Brussino.

So to summarize, the Mavs will be bringing eight returning players, two former Warriors, two former Kings and four rookies into training camp for the 2016-17 season.

While they will still be bringing in many new faces, the talent won’t be coming from so many different areas. Take the starting lineup, for example. Since the 2010-11 season, the Mavs have introduced at least two new starters each season with names ranging from O.J. Mayo to Monta Ellis to Tyson Chandler to Chandler Parsons.

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    • While they will still have two new starters this season in Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut, they will both be coming from the same team, with a history as close friends and shared playing time on two of the best teams the league has ever seen.

    Last season, the trio of Williams, Matthews and Nowitzki was arguably one of the tightest in the league. Nowitzki and Williams are two veterans that used the two-man game and their experience to form a bond as the top two offensive options in Dallas.

    Adding Matthews to the mix is just an added bonus as his leadership traits are a benefit for any team.

    Heading to the bench, the Mavs will have quite a few players returning from last season. Devin Harris, J.J. Barea, Justin Anderson, Dwight Powell and Salah Mejri will make up all of the players remaining from the 2015-16 team while the additional help will come in the form of Seth Curry, Qunicy Acy, A.J. Hammons and any other rookies that make the team during training camp.

    Curry and Acy, the two newest members of the bench, were teammates in Sacramento last season and formed a close bond. In fact, they shared a nice interaction on Twitter that showed just how excited they were to be back together in Dallas.

    https://twitter.com/QuincyAcy/status/753723895648182272

    By putting all of this together, it’s obvious that the Mavs won’t take long to jell next season.

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    In years past, it has taken Dallas a while to get adjusted and form the chemistry needed to make a run. That was one of the reasons why the Mavs fell flat and missed the playoffs in 2013.

    You could also look at some of the players the Mavs had in the locker room. In 2012-13, they played a total of 23 players. In 2014-15, they had the attitudes of Rajon Rondo and Monta Ellis clashing.

    Looking ahead to the 2016-17 season, there are really no players on the team that have had issues with behavior or attitude in the past. They’re either young and learning their way in the league or respected from their years of play.

    Adding a well-formed roster for 2015-16 to a bond between Barnes and Bogut and a bond between Curry and Acy is something that will greatly benefit just how fast the Mavs get up to speed in November.

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    Heading into next season, the Mavs’ front office has to feel pretty comfortable about what they’ve put together. They have a group full of team-first players which could lead to a few extra wins in the upcoming season.

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