Dallas Mavericks: 5 floor spacing free agents to pair with Luka Doncic
By Dalton Sell
The Dallas Mavericks saw their 2020-21 season end in the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the LA Clippers for the second consecutive year.
It was a hard-fought battle that went back and forth until Game 7, but the Clippers ultimately proved too much for the Mavs and overpowered them. With their season now over, Dallas will have several decisions to make during the offseason, one of which should be getting 22-year-old Luka Doncic a better supporting cast.
Rumors have already begun swirling about Dallas potentially looking to deal Doncic’s running mate Kristaps Porzingis after he had a down-year with the club, which will prove difficult given his injury history, salary issues, and overall play.
A smaller step in the right direction that they could take would be adding more perimeter shooting. Dallas was a top-10 shooting team from behind the arc based on percentage during the 2019-20 campaign but dipped all the way to 18th during 2020-21.
Why have the Dallas Mavericks been a poor 3-point shooting team during the 2020-21 season?
A massive factor in that regression was the loss of Seth Curry, whom the Mavericks traded on draft night in a deal centered around Josh Richardson of the Philadelphia 76ers. It was certainly a questionable move at the time, but Dallas wanted to give Doncic a defensive-minded partner in the backcourt. Still, the move backfired mightily as Richardson was inconsistent during the regular season and his playing time fizzled out in the postseason, while Curry is playing a key role with the 76ers as they are competing for a championship.
The Mavericks should be kicking themselves over the move, but they must learn from that mistake this offseason. With Doncic continuing his rapid ascension to stardom, Dallas must find pieces that complement him to help this team become legitimate title contenders in the Western Conference. Adding more outside shooting would certainly help in that regard. It should be a busy offseason down in Dallas, and here are five upcoming free agents they should look to pair with Doncic.