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.
The Dallas Mavericks should target E’Twaun Moore in 2021 NBA free agency
E’Twaun Moore is far from the flashiest name set to hit free agency this offseason, but he could be a feasible target for the Mavericks.
The guard signed with the Phoenix Suns last offseason, but what seemed like it could be an underrated signing never quite panned out. Moore appeared in just 27 regular-season games with the team and has played 17 minutes in the playoffs to this point. During his limited run throughout the regular season, he did not impress by averaging just 4.9 points per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and a career-low 31.4 percent from 3-point territory.
While the latter percentage might not be the most appealing, it is clear that the fit here is an issue. With his lack of playing time, the guard has not quite received an opportunity to make a name for himself as he had over the previous four years with the New Orleans Pelicans. In that time, Moore carved out a solid role for himself in the rotation by averaging 11.3 points while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor and 41 percent from deep in 208 games played. With a more stable role in any team’s rotation, Moore could be potentially a solid piece offensively with his stellar shooting.
He would fit great with a club like the Mavericks who are in the market for more shooting from the outside. Moore would be a reliable kick-out threat on the perimeter, and he could get his shooting back up to par with the playmaking prowess of Doncic. This would not be a seismic signing by any stretch, but it could be an under-the-radar addition.
The Dallas Mavericks should target Danny Green in 2021 NBA free agency
It is the worst kept secret that the Mavericks have been trying to get their hands on Danny Green for quite some time now.
After winning a title with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, Green had reportedly narrowed down his final free-agent destinations to the Los Angeles Lakers or the Mavericks. However, despite a rather strong pitch from Dallas that genuinely made him consider joining the team, Green ultimately signed a two-year deal with the Lakers.
Yet, the interest from Dallas never ceased. According to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News, the Mavericks reportedly believed they had a deal in place to land Green had the Lakers traded for Marcus Morris Sr. at the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline, to which Green would have gone to Dallas as a third team. Yet, they struck out once again after the New York Knicks traded Morris to the LA Clippers and the Lakers pulled Green off the table in any trades at that point in time.
With Green set to hit unrestricted free agency once his playoff run with the Philadelphia 76ers concludes, it is easy to understand why the Mavericks will likely be waiting on his doorstep to make an offer. They have been trying to get him for two years now, and this could finally be the time they strike gold. Green had a fantastic regular season with the 76ers, shooting a career-high 6.3 triples per contest while tying a career-best 2.5 made on average. Sweet shooting like that would be a massive boost for Doncic and the Mavs offensively, and it is likely a given that they will make a strong run at him in free agency.
The Dallas Mavericks should target Doug McDermott in 2021 NBA free agency
Sharpshooting forward Doug McDermott had a quick cup of coffee with the Mavericks after being traded to Dallas at the 2018 NBA Trade Deadline.
After briefly appearing in 26 games with the team, McDermott hit unrestricted free agency and signed with the Indiana Pacers, where he has spent the last three seasons. It was the first time the Creighton product had seen much stability during his career, with the Pacers being his fifth NBA team in four seasons. McDermott thrived with this newfound stability by averaging 10.3 points on 50.7 percent field goal shooting and 41.1 percent from deep over 212 games.
Now entering free agency once more, the Mavericks could look to lure him back to Texas to utilize that shooting he brings to the table. Coming off a season where he averaged a career-best 13.6 points per contest, the forward could be in the market for a raise in pay, and the Mavericks could make a genuine pursuit. McDermott’s lethal shooting prowess from the outside would be a perfect complement alongside Doncic to keep the offense running smoothly and help bump up those shooting percentages.
There have been little to no rumblings about what the future holds for McDermott in Indiana, but if he opts to test the free-agent market and entertain offers, the Mavericks should make a pitch.
The Dallas Mavericks should target Reggie Jackson in 2021 NBA free agency
Although there might be some bad blood between the Mavericks and Clippers after squaring off in the postseason in consecutive years, Reggie Jackson could be a fitting target for Dallas.
In his first full season with the Clippers, Jackson averaged 10.7 points while shooting 45 percent from the field. Fully embracing his sixth man role, Jackson proved himself to be a solid scorer and playmaker in the second unit, but the most impressive part of his game was his much-improved outside shot. Jackson shot 43.3 percent from deep on 4.2 attempts per game this year, displaying a much more sustainable shot from deep after it was a weakness in previous seasons.
Furthermore, he has been on a tear in these playoffs by connecting on 44.2 percent of his triples while heaving a whopping seven attempts per game. That shooting has made him sensational in the playoffs, something the Mavericks know from first-hand experience.
Despite the emergence of point guard Jalen Brunson in the second unit, adding another solid veteran that can create offense to give Doncic a rare breather would help. The 22-year-old desperately needed more help offensively in the first round set against the Clippers, and a player like Jackson would help space the floor and conjure up offense when called upon.
It might take a sizeable offer for him to leave the comfortability of being with the Clippers, but the Mavericks should make a run at Jackson to try and entice him away from LA.
The Dallas Mavericks should target Tim Hardaway Jr. in 2021 NBA free agency
Aside from negotiating a record-setting extension for Luka Doncic this summer, getting a deal done with Tim Hardaway Jr. will certainly be atop the Dallas Mavericks’ to-do list this offseason.
Hardaway is coming off a fantastic season where he averaged 16.6 points on .447/.391/.816 shooting splits, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. After coming off the bench for a large portion of the season, Hardaway was promoted into the starting lineup late in the year and started all seven games against the Clippers in round one. The guard proved to be one of the few sources of consistent offense for Dallas in that series aside from Doncic, making his case to earn a new contract.
While nothing is set in stone just yet, it appears likely that he will receive such a deal. Hardaway’s skillset on the offensive end makes him an ideal fit next to Doncic and Porzingis – if they ultimately cannot trade the latter this offseason – meaning he could play that third fiddle role perfectly. The most apparent reasoning is his prolific 3-point shooting, as the swingman has shot 38.6 percent from distance on 7.4 attempts over 160 games played with the team. An outside shot like that is just what Dallas needs to bolster this offense.
While bringing Hardaway back seems like an easy decision for Dallas, the biggest question is just how much money he could be looking to make on his next deal. There could certainly be some conflicting opinions from a financial perspective, but it seems reasonable to believe they will get a deal done one way or another.