Leaving Dallas in the New Year: Five Mavericks.
The Dallas Mavericks’ objective for 2024 is the same as it has always been: to climb back to the top of the NBA. This team has two key players who can carry them there: guard Kyrie Irving and generational talent Luka Doncic.
It’s all about matching them with the right teammates now. Dallas would prefer that task to be easier, but the team’s rapid start to the 2023–24 season indicates they are headed in the right direction.
The depth of the Mavericks’ frontcourt is one of their most glaring weaknesses this year. Although rookie center Derick Lively II was a huge steal for the team, Jason Kidd is being let down by veterans like Markieff Morris and Richaun Holmes.
In 2023–24, Morris and Holmes have been players that you could easily overlook. Morris (10.4) and Holmes (10.8) rank second and third in terms of minutes per game this season, not including the team’s two-way assistance.
In the meantime, Derrick Jones Jr., a recent addition who had been up and down the league for the previous few seasons without ever securing a consistent position, has become a vital component of Kidd’s rotation. That just goes to show how DJJ took advantage of the chance to establish himself as a reliable contributor as someone close to the bench.
After Morris’ brief 2022–2023 stint, the Mavs pursued his return for an unknown reason. In addition, they acquired Holmes—who might have replaced them as a vital reserve big man—by using their draft night trade exception. It’s safe to say that these two strategies have already backfired.
