Dallas Mavericks: 5 takeaways from the 2018-19 NBA season

4. Tim Hardaway Jr.’s role still undefined

Tim Hardaway Jr. was brought to Dallas as part of the deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis as well. A fearless scoring two-guard, Hardaway averaged 19.1 points in 46 games for the New York Knicks as their go-to scorer in KP’s absence.

As a Maverick, he struggled in his new role off the ball more next to Luka Doncic, shooting just 32.1 percent from 3-point range on what would be a career-high 7.4 attempts a night. THJ struggled with his efficiency in New York, but there were some who hoped a better supporting cast would drastically improve his 38.8 percent field goal percentage.

Whether he likes it or not, Hardaway will never be the primary ballhandler in Dallas. He won’t even be top two of the pecking order once Porzingis returns to the court. The Mavs could experiment with him as the sixth man, but he simply hasn’t proven capable of being the focal point of an offense in an efficient manner.

If Hardaway wants to fall in favor with head coach Rick Carlisle, he’ll need to get more accustomed to playing off the ball. That means improving his percentage on catch-and-shoot jumpers as well as using his athleticism more as a slasher in the half-court. If he can’t manage to fit in, not only will his minutes decrease, but the roughly $37 million he’s owed over the next two seasons will begin to look worse and worse for the Mavericks and their fans.