Dallas Mavericks: Best candidates for 2018-19 NBA awards

Sixth Man of the Year: Wesley Matthews

Dallas’ starting five hasn’t been revealed yet, but conventional wisdom suggests Doncic will start alongside Smith, potentially leaving Wesley Matthews to come off the bench if Rick Carlisle doesn’t want to go small.

At one point one of the better 3-and-D wings in the game, Matthew’s game has suffered after tearing his Achilles back in 2015. Still, his 3-point shot demands respect, and in a situation likely to afford him more touches on the offensive end, there’s a possibility that Matthews could increase his scoring output.

However, the likelihood of such events transpiring isn’t very high given Wes’ inability to create off the bounce.

Matthews could be a valuable asset on the right team, but with Doncic now in the fold, it’s hard to picture a role for the nine-year vet, which will make it very difficult for him to produce in any sort of level in the scoring column — a staple of the Sixth Man of the Year recipient.