Five things to watch: Dallas Mavericks: After the high of winning the 2011 NBA championship, it didn’t take the Dallas Mavericks long to tumble back down. Between the much-publicized decision to let most of the championship team go, and the subsequent failure to obtain a top-tier free agent, Dallas is treading water – not quite ready to go under but with no real rescue in sight. This offseason, the Mavericks rolled the dice and brought in an eclectic combination of players through free agency that left much of the league shaking its heads in confusion. But as the end of Dirk Nowitzki’s career grows visible, it was clear Dallas had to take a chance on some guys and pray that it works. Here are five key things to watch to see whether or not the Mavericks’ gambling will pay off. 1. Will Dirk Nowitzki bounce back? The upcoming training camp will be the first in which Nowitzki fully participates in since the championship, unhindered by his knee injury or the lockout. His past two seasons have been mediocre – at least by his lofty standards – but this season he is primed to look more like the man who took home an NBA Finals MVP. Dirk turned 35 in June, but a turnaround at this stage of his career is hardly unprecedented. With a game based around skill and smarts rather than athleticism and a full offseason of preparation without injuries or commitments, it will be interesting to see just how well Nowitzki can perform. Without his elite play, the Mavericks aren’t going anywhere. 2. Can Monta Ellis change? In a move that was frowned upon by most of the basketball world, Ellis became a Maverick. It’s no wonder – the eight-year veteran is inefficient volume shooter and very poor defender. But after a particularly awful season in Milwaukee, Ellis arrives on a team with a go-to scorer and a demanding coach, something he has not seen much of throughout his career. If there ever was a team that could emphasize his knack for scoring and underrated passing skills, Dallas seems like the place. It has been speculated that Ellis might come off the bench as the team’s sixth man, a move that could improve his poor shot selection. Whatever the case, Ellis is a gamble that was necessary at this late stage of Nowitzki’s career as the Mavericks hope to give him one last shot at a championship. 3. Do the Mavericks have any young talent? Ah, the question of the decade. Roddy Beaubois was the rising savior for a season; then injuries struck, and his talent never manifested itself on the court. Dominique Jones turned out to be a Summer League All-Star and NBA bust. And Jared Cunningham was traded a year after being drafted. Well, the Mavericks still don’t have any young stars in the making, but there are some players with bright futures. Brandan Wright immediately comes to mind, an athletic big man who seems to have found a home in Dallas after bouncing around the league. He played a major role in the last two months of the 2012-13 season and should be a crucial rotation player this season. First-round pick Shane Larkin already suffered a setback, breaking his ankle in a practice, but should receive some backup point guard minutes throughout the season. Meanwhile, second-round pick Ricky Ledo has shown high upside but has a lot of room to grow. Finally, 2012 second-round pick Jae Crowder played in 78 games last season but had a miserable Summer League, showing no improvement on his below-average jump shot. 4. Can the old guys anchor the defense? Shawn Marion and Samuel Dalembert have combined for zero NBA All-Defensive teams throughout their careers, yet still have the reputation as two of the league’s premier defenders. This season, the Mavericks are going to ask a lot of the two veterans and pray their age doesn’t start to take effect. In the backcourt, Ellis and new acquisition Jose Calderon are known as defensive liabilities. A lot of pressure falls to the 35-year-old Marion, who has guarded point guards and power forwards alike in his 14 seasons, to slow down the best perimeter player of the other team. Although age hasn’t seemed to have an impact yet, it is only a matter of time until Marion’s body starts breaking down. It couldn’t have been coincidence that the Mavericks won a championship the one season they put an elite defensive center next to Nowitzki in Tyson Chandler. It would be great if Dalembert could duplicate those results, but he turned 32 this year, and the Mavericks will need to look for a long-term solution soon. 5. Will the Mavericks be good enough to lure free agents next summer? Despite two consecutive seasons sporting enough cap space to sign a max player, the Mavericks have come away empty, largely due to a roster that – besides Nowitzki – wasn’t attractive enough to lure a big name. Dallas will once again have cap space in 2014. Nowitzki’s $22.7 million contract comes off the books, and he is expected to re-sign at a significant discount. The expiring deals of Marion and Vince Carter will free up around $12.3 million. But if the Mavericks once again struggle and miss the playoffs, their free agency pitch will be no different from previous years. Unless Dallas shows it is a player away from contending in the 2014-15 season, there is no reason for a top-tier free agent to come to a different conclusion than Deron Williams or Dwight Howard did when courted by Dallas. The coming season is a crossroads for the Mavericks. Will they swing some deals and make a smooth transition into the post-Dirk era or fall deep into the lottery? -Chalmers
Posted on: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 19:46:51 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015