News Mavericks Team Notes

[Dallas Mavericks]

Luka Dončić’s final season in Dallas, reviewed

The dust has settled and it’s time to look back at what was most likely the final games of Dončić in a Maverick uniform

The 2024-2025 season will be one never forgotten by Mavericks fans — and trading this franchise star is the reason why. Late February 1, general manager Nico Harrison shipped Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package including Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.

Here at mavsmoneyball.com, we often don’t do season-in-review pieces for players traded in the middle of a season, as you’ll notice we don’t have one posted for Maxi Kleber or Markieff Morris. But with a trade this historic, we felt it was justified to submit one final retrospective piece on his career in Dallas, this time purely focusing on his final season with the Mavericks.

Expectations Shattered Reality​

Let’s look at Dončić’s numbers in the regular season in his 22 games in a Maverick uniform. We see a decline in almost every major statistical category — points, rebounds, assists, blocks, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and free-throw percentage — although as Dončić was quick to ask reporters to do after a stellar defensive game, when we look at his steals per game, we see an increase from 1.4 to 2.0.

That paragraph may sound some alarms for most players, such a decline in their age-26 season...until you realize he was still averaging 28-8-8 on league average efficiency. Despite dealing with nagging injuries and, as we know now, a toxic front office, Dončić was still putting up staggering numbers and Dallas was 11-3 with their starting lineup of Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, PJ Washington, and Dereck Lively II all healthy.

Not for nothing, but that lineup had a defensive rating of 107.3, which would’ve been the best defense in basketball for the “defense wins championships” crowd.

Best Performance​

Though we didn’t see any otherworldly performances like his 60-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist game in 2022-2023 or his 73-point explosion (T-4th most in NBA history) in 2023-2024, Dončić’s greatness was on full display in his third-to-last game as a Maverick — a 143-133 December 15 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Dončić’s 80th career triple-double — tied for seventh most in NBA history despite being just 25 years old at the start of this game — had a little bit of everything. No-look passes, bruising defensive rebounds, and lights out shooting were a few items on the menu for Dončić on that warm December California night.

He finished the game with a season-high 45 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Dallas was 17-9 after the game, tied for the 3rd-best record in the Western Conference.

10 days later, he played his last game as a Maverick.

Less than two months later, he was traded.

Final Thoughts​

This trade will never make sense. Conspiracies can fly and people can debate it for days on end, but at some point, the pain has to end. Dončić’s greatness as a Maverick will be remembered in Dallas sports fans’ hearts forever, but the 2024-2025 season will be the last time we see him in a Dallas uniform. His 22-game mini-season was the last chance for Mavericks fans to see the second-greatest player in franchise history don the blue and white.

And in typical Luka fashion, he gave us one final show in California for us to enjoy and a chilling 45-point dominating performance on April 9 in American Airlines Center, his first game back, to remind Dallas fans that it will never stop hurting.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/4/28/24416817/luka-doncics-final-season-in-dallas-reviewed

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Klay Thompson was a stabilizing veteran presence for the Mavericks

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Mavericks brought Klay to Dallas to be the veteran presence on a contender, and he turned into a veteran leader in the franchise’s darkest time.

When Klay Thompson sat down to dinner last summer with Nico Harrison and Michael Finley to discuss his possible future with the Dallas Mavericks, his desire to play next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, to help the defending Western Conference Champions reach the mountain top, it’s hard to imagine that this is what he envisioned. But the four-time NBA Champion and eventual hall-of-famer navigated a tumultuous time playing his first pro season away from the Golden State Warriors. The team brought him to Dallas to be a veteran leader for a contender, and instead Thompson helped navigate the darkest time in the franchise’s history. While he has spoken confidently about his commitment to be a leader of this team, it is possible the future is unclear.

Season in review​

After 13 years with the Warriors, 11 playing seasons plus two straight seasons out with injury, Thompson sought new opportunity with Dallas — at the time seen as one of the most promising teams in the league. His final season out west left questions of whether he could be a core piece, a starter, for a contending team. A mix of age and injury impacting the ways Thompson was most lethal, though his competitive drive and determination were never questioned.

Those initial concerns were quieted to start the year, Thompson going 15-of-33 from three in the Mavericks’ first three games. The offense from supporting players around Doncic and Irving that was absent in the finals now felt like a roaring lion in the form of Thompson.

The season personally for Thompson was up and down, and metrics for measuring the campaign as a whole are muddied given the earth shattering changes in the middle. But to Thompson’s credit he remained a level headed leader on and off the floor. He played in 72 games (the second most appearances on the roster this season), averaging 14 points, 3.4 rebounds, and two assists while shooting 39-percent from three. His scoring average is his lowest mark since his rookie season, but his ability to get hot from deep blended with his high basketball IQ was impactful even on nights where he wasn’t feeling it. Thompson’s play, even in his twilight years, may always remain a sliding doors of possibility had the team stayed competitive and the trade never happened.

Best game​

Even before the season shifted there were few things I wanted more on a night-to-night basis that seeing Klay go off against his former team. Seeing a star player face-off against his former teammates is always appointment television. You could see the adrenaline pumping through Klay each time they played the Warriors. In his four games against Golden State, Thompson averaged 19.8 points and shot nearly 48-percent from three! There was only one other opponent he averaged more against this season.

None more exciting than the all-offense game back on December 15, when he scored a season high 29 points, adding five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block while going 7-of-11 from three, in a 143-133 win in the Bay. Thompson had 13 fourth quarter points, including connecting 3-of-3 from deep.

It was late in this game that the Mavericks turned to a high two-man game from Thompson and Doncic, where Klay broke off of his screen to hit a dagger three. Luka finished with 45 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. Kyrie Irving had 21 points and eight assists.

This was one of just 14 games played between the lineup of Doncic, Irving, Thompson, PJ Washington, and Dereck Lively II. In their 119 minutes together they had an Offensive-rating of 127.9 and a Defensive-rating of 104.4, good for a +23.5 Net-rating. Impossible to project out over a lost season, but of the 32 five-man lineups that played at least 200 minutes together across the league for the whole year, only nine other groups had a Defensive-rating under 105.

Contract status​

Thompson is finishing the first of a three-year $50 million contract.

Looking ahead​

Thompson handled any questions about last summer’s decision with hindsight, or any question about his future, as any level headed and responsible vet would. Klay always seems to keep it real, but he’s also been a player other’s can look to in adversity. Both he and Irving have been a stabilizing force for this roster in that way.

But no one would fault Thompson for looking elsewhere this offseason. His intentions to start anew away from Golden State was not just to prove that he still had the juice, but also to compete for titles. Whatever feelings you have about this roster when healthy, they won’t be competing for anything as it stands with Irving rehabbing. Depending on what, if anything, a front office in spiral can do this summer — there are plenty of question marks for Thompson over the break.

Grade: B+​

I’m tipping my captain’s hat to Thompson. Nico Harrison and ownership destroyed this season, and possibly many more to come. But Klay remained a leader throughout. He could have sat out, protected himself, and sought a way out. In what was already a difficult move for him away from all the success he built before, Klay handled all of this like a pro.

Was he the third star that the Mavericks were trying to find? No, likely not. But Thompson can be a valuable contributor in the right role and any contending team would be lucky to have him.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...y-thompson-was-a-stabilizing-veteran-presence

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

SB Reacts: Looking ahead to the NBA Draft Lottery

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Will the basketball gods smile on us?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Dallas Mavericks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Just a few short weeks until the NBA Lottery on May 12th, then another six weeks until the draft. These poll questions are largely about vibe, but it’s worth asking all the same. The fact that Dallas has never moved up ever lives in my brain. Nico Harrison getting a chance to move a high draft pick would end me, so I am torn about what I actually want.

Then there’s the question of if they even want to use the pick. Dallas is up against the first apron of the NBA CBA, so any pick kept adds to that total. It’s all a mess. Let us know what you think with the voting and we’ll have results by Friday.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/4/29/24420240/sb-reacts-looking-ahead-to-the-nba-draft-lottery

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

The Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade could have been different from the start

Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

Framing is so important and Nico Harrison botched it from the start. What if he said this instead?

On February 1st, the basketball world, and my Dallas Mavericks fandom, was shaken pretty aggressively by the surprising, unthinkable trade of young superstar and Dirk heir, Luka Doncic.

Every piece of communication made by the team, or Nico Harrison himself since has made things worse, including the press conference immediately after.

As a way of wrapping my brain around the loss of my favorite teams’ favorite player, I tried to go back in time and rewriting the speech given by Nick Harrison, to see if there was a way to sell this transaction to a fanbase that has felt belittled, denigrated and insulted nearly every day since the trade happened.

I’m not saying I agree with the trade, the thinking behind it, or almost any move the Dallas Mavericks as an organization have made since. I’m merely trying to see if, communicated differently and giving the benefit of the doubt, there was ever a path forward. If I were Nico Harrison and I had to sell this to the fanbase, here’s what I would’ve said:

Hi everyone, thank you for coming.

Since I got here, I’ve had one mission: To build the Dallas Mavericks into a championship team.

Every single move I’ve made has been to try and achieve that goal, including this one.

Luka Doncic is a tremendous player, who should have one if not two MVP trophies. He is an outstanding teammate, man, father and friend. His future is so bright. Over the last three seasons, led by Luka, we have come so close to achieving our goal: to bring a championship to Dallas.

Going into this season, we felt like we had one of, if not the, best roster in the NBA, top to bottom. As the season unfolded, we felt like our roster as constructed was not one that could win an NBA title. But we developed a plan to get there.

And unfortunately, it meant parting ways with our young superstar, in one of the hardest decisions I’d ever have to make. We knew what was ultimately missing on our roster was a 7’ in the mold of a Dirk offensively, with a bit more athleticism and speed, who would anchor our defense, like Tyson Chandler did back with Dirk in 2011. And that player is Anthony Davis. There is not a better two way player in the league, and Jason Kidd was beyond excited about the possibilities of pairing him with Kyrie and Klay, with PJ on the wing and then Gafford or Lively at the five. It will allow us to play with pace, size and energy on both ends of the floor that we feel like we need to achieve to be a championship squad. Jason will be able to tell you more about this as him and his staff continue put together a plan.

Because we knew exactly who we wanted to add to our roster, we went directly to the Lakers to make this deal. We knew this news would be highly sensitive and didn’t want the thought of stir to create bigger waves than this inevitably will. But we’re ready to take those questions on.

There are some definite downsides to this. This plan all depends on Anthony Davis’s health, but we believe our world class staff of doctors will do everything they can to keep AD game ready. But we believe this is a risk worth taking. If it works out like we plan, we’ll bring the Larry O’Brien trophy back to Dallas. And we believe this keeps us in contention for the next three years as the NBA continues to get longer, bigger and faster. We can’t go into details now, but believe we have a plan after that to both extend that window and will also have the salary flexibility to address our needs as they arise.

While we are sad to part ways with Luka, we are so excited to welcome Anthony Davis into our family and hope you’ll treat him and his the same way you would Luka. He is a truly special player that we feel lucky to be able to have.

Luka might not wear 77 for us anymore, but he will always be a Maverick. Luka Magic is real, and we’re so excited to see what he does next, and wish him nothing but the best. We’re going to treat April 8th, when Los Angeles visits the AAC, as Luka Appreciation Day, and more details will come on that.

Look. I know this is a huge deal. There will be anger, confusion, frustration, and I just want every MFFL that we, I, hear you and empathize. There will be people who don’t get this move at all, who can’t see what we do. We’d say to them: know every decision we’ve made we believe gets us closer to achieving the goal entrusted us: to bring a championship to Dallas. We feel like we’re an Anthony Davis and Max Christie away. We hope we’re right.

I will make myself available in the coming days for questions and comments, but want to give the community of Dallas a few days to process what we’ve been processing the last few weeks. Please feel the space from the organization to feel your feelings. And that’s okay. I know how much Dirk meant to this city, and handing off to Luka, there will be some feelings of extreme loss and changing expectations. We understand and want everyone to know that along with his skillset, his connection to you and the city of Dallas was considered greatly, and make the decision to part ways that much difficult. But above all else, we’re tasked to bring a championship to Dallas. We think this is the way. I’d love to earn your trust. We hope you’ll come along for the ride with us.

It’s going to be different. But it’s going to be special.

And we’re so close.

Thank you.

Jordan (Jody) Dodson is a writer based in NYC. Originally from Dallas, he’s been a fan of the Mavericks since the 1998 season

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...rade-could-have-been-different-from-the-start

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

P.J. Washington opens up about how the team handled the trade and ensuing noise

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

In Dereck Lively and P.J. Washington’s exit interview, they reflected on how this year’s adversity affected team connectedness.

After a season where almost everything that could go wrong, went wrong, Dallas Mavericks players reflected on what happened in the locker room and what they learned.

Dallas native, power forward P.J. Washington, as well as second-year center Dereck Lively, opened up a little about what happened behind the scenes and how they tried to handle a tough situation in their exit interviews last week.

As Washington explained, the hardship of the trade and the surrounding noise quickly made the team connection stronger:

“It brought us closer, everybody started playing harder, playing for each other… The trade made us closer, as a unit.”

The group staying together and getting closer through hardship helps explain why the team kept winning more games than expected after the trade - and despite an extreme amount of injuries.

The psychology behind this group dynamic is simply put that adversity can either tear a group apart or bring it closer together, all depending on its leadership and the individuals’ willingness to buy in.

What we’ve seen in Dallas is a team continuously being willing to buy in, and the leadership (in coach Jason Kidd and/or vets like Kyrie Irving and Washington) having enough authority to motivate the team to keep fighting for each other, and at the same time help the players trust the process and stay connected.

Dereck Lively, despite his young age at 21, has experienced a lot of hardship and adversity already in his young life, and he eloquently put words on the team’s thinking when things got tough:

“It really just came down to how we looked at it… there were a lot of things that we couldn’t control and we were just focused on what we could control. And that’s how we were able to stay mentally positive, which was hard to do.”

Focusing on what you can control is a well-known tool in how to handle adversity and increase resilience. Lively clearly understands how big a role the mental aspect and mindset play in a person’s well-being and quality of life - as well as in an athlete’s ability to fulfill their potential.

Lively has been through incredible highs and lows through his two years in the NBA: the NBA Finals, superstar lob partner setting him up for success from day one traded overnight - and then there’s the devastating real life struggle of his mom passing just before the playoffs last season. Maybe that’s why he speaks on hardship with such authority:

“Going through all this adversity is going to make us stronger. You can’t continuously succeed without failing. You got to be able to fail to succeed.”

Lively trying to make the best out of a difficult situation by keeping perspective speaks volumes about his maturity.

Whether it was mismanagement and dysfunction from the leadership, or just pure bad luck that led to this injury-riddled season, the Mavs players have to find a way to stay engaged in order to remain motivated through a hard season, and to start the next.

After everything this team has been through recently, the group dynamics look to be in good shape. And that’s a pretty impressive achievement in itself.

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...-the-trade-and-ensuing-noise-dallas-mavericks

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Another lost season for Dante Exum

Photo by Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images

A promising season stymied by more fluke injuries for the former lottery pick

Dante Exum joined the Mavericks before the 2023-24 season, signing a two-year deal with Dallas where the second year was non-guaranteed. The Australian guard and former lottery pick returned to the NBA following a two-year stint in Europe, one with FB Barcelona and one with Partizan. The former 2014 lottery pick slowly found a new home in Dallas, playing 55 games and having key moments in the regular season as the Mavericks eventually found themselves in the NBA Finals. Though he was a marginal player in the playoffs in 2024, Exum looked poised to grab a role in a loaded team ready to attack the regular season and pursue a title. But it was not to be for Exum or for the Dallas Mavericks.

Season in Review​

Exum’s season got off to a rocky start. On October 4th, Shams Charania, then of The Athletic, reported that Dante suffered a right wrist injury in training camp that might require surgery. On October 9th (and by then with ESPN, Charania confirmed surgery with a three-month timetable. Unfortunately, recovery took longer than expected for Exum and he did not make his debut until January 31st against the Detroit Pistons. He would only dress and play for 15 games before suffering another freak injury, a broken hand, against the Houston Rockets, a mere six minutes into playing. While initially reported as a season-ending injury, Exum would return in the final two regular-season games and would see time in both play-in games.

In this lost season for Exum, his playing time was sporadic at best. He earned just under 19 minutes per game in 20 contests, averaging 8.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Following a strong performance from three in 2024-25, Exum shot the ball well for Dallas, hitting 43% of his longballs on 2.7 attempts per game.

Best Game​

His strongest performance was a pre-Valentine’s Day game against the Miami Heat. Exum could not be stopped, pouring in 27 points on 9 of 11 shooting, including two made three-pointers, and three made free throws. He also tossed in four assists as he helped hold off a feisty Miami team with Dallas playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

Contract Status​

The 2024-25 season was the final year of a two-year deal for Exum. Given the various salary cap challenges (not to mention roster spots), it’s unclear if Exum would return.

Looking Ahead​

Exum is a solid defensive guard with good playmaking abilities and some scoring punch. Dallas might consider bringing him back another season, but it’s hard to make assumptions at this point. The Mavericks are a team in need of guards and once they take a look at the free agency pool, I would not be shocked if they call his number for another season. Assuming nothing changes with the coaching staff and front office, there’s value in keeping a veteran player like Exum around, whether he plays or not.

Grade: Incomplete​

His season was over before it began. Giving him a grade feels unfair, but if I was forced, I’d say B. He’s a star in his role, a requirement for teams who hope to make playoff runs these days.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/5/1/24420409/another-lost-season-for-dante-exum

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

SB Reacts: Dallas Mavericks fans have faith in the NBA Draft lottery

Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/NBAE via Getty Images

There’s belief amongst Mavs fans

This week’s poll questions were much more feelings based than anything we’ve been asking lately. After all, a question about whether or not Dallas will finally move up in the NBA Draft lottery (It’s literally never happened before) is an odds question! FanDuel has Dallas at +3900 to move up to number one overall, +1300 to move up into the top three.

Dallas has roughly a 90% change of standing pat! And yet, when asked...

Two in five polled fans think Dallas is going to move up this year. Please give me your confidence, fans who believe. I need that to make it through this off season.

Then we asked whether or not fans think Dallas will retain the pick. These results shocked me.

Nearly 7 in 10 fans think that Dallas will keep their pick. I VERY much hope this is the case but I believe Harrison will look to offload the pick as part of a trade to win now. Draft picks don’t usually help with winning and Harrison is absolutely on the hot seat.

The other polling results came from the national poll, which if you haven’t signed up, you really should!

This seems like an easy fix. Replays take too long right now. The people at NBAhq can start looking at replay immediately whereas the in-game refs have to wait for equipment to get set up and so forth. Move it along please. Or end replay entirely.

One in three fans think Ant is the man, which seems a bit low. I wonder who else got on the list? Luka Doncic, perhaps. LeBron James is likely. But Anthony Edwards is the guy for this playoffs at this moment, until someone else shows him up. We have three more rounds to go!

Brought to you by FanDuel

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...icks-fans-have-faith-in-the-nba-draft-lottery

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks Tankathon: Week two of simulating the NBA Draft Lottery every day

Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images

May the odds ever be in our favor

In the words of Daft Punk:

We’re up all night ‘till the sun,

We’re up all night to get some,

We’re up all night for good fun,

We’re up all night to get lucky.

Thus is life as we are now just over a week away from the NBA Draft Lottery, where one franchise will successfully “Capture the Flagg”, while the others are left to pivot into the rest of the draft.

As a quick refresher, we are doing a daily Tankathon simulation every day until the NBA Draft Lottery on May 12th. After week one, our simulations have given the Dallas Mavericks the 11th pick 100% of the time. The Lottery system is used to determine the top four picks in the draft, with the remaining picks assigned to teams in record order. The Mavericks have an 8.5% chance of moving into the top four, with just under a 2% chance at Cooper Flagg.

With that out of the way, let’s get simming.

April 28​

So, this got weird as hell. The top three in the lottery each fell to their lowest possible draft spot, and of course the San Antonio Spurs (via the Atlanta Hawks) hop into the top four of the draft with just a 3.4% chance to do so. Talk about having a golden horseshoe shoved up you know what! Anyways, the Mavericks’ options at 12 are about the same as they are at 11. I’ll be rooting for a trade back if all of the guards are wiped off the board.

April 29​

This is the lottery luck that we are used to seeing. How funny would it be if the team the Mavericks “beat” in a tiebreaker was actually the team that moved up into the top four. If this scenario plays out, let’s hope for a trade back.

April 30​

Hallelujah, your Dallas Mavericks have jumped in the lottery for the first time ever! Your reward? VJ Edgecombe, a freshman who has big game experience and a smooth jumper. He spent last summer trying to get the Bahamas qualified for the Olympic Basketball Tournament, before spending his one and only season in college at Baylor. Edgecombe is a very good athlete, and he shot the ball pretty well as a freshman, as well. This is a pick that would require some patience, but Edgecombe is worth it.

May 1​

I suppose as we hit day nine of this simulation, it’s time to talk about Egor Demin out of BYU. Demin has the size and skill to develop into an upper echelon guard in the league, but his game is far too inconsistent to be an immediate contributor. He struggles to shoot and has frequently fought the turnover bug, but every young guard has fought that battle.

But beyond that, the real reason Egor Demin hasn’t come up yet is just simply because he will not be a Dallas Maverick. The Dallas Mavericks underwent a major roster reconstruction last season, it’s not too hard to scroll the roster and see how. I think Demin could develop into a rotational guard in the NBA, I just don’t think it’ll be in Dallas for a variety of reasons.

May 2​

Can we all agree that the Philadelphia 76ers do not deserve to move up in the lottery? On the Mavericks front, if they stick at 11, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of trade calls they take. In that regard, who is the worst current NBA player you would trade the 11th pick straight up for? Let us know in the comments.

Results to date​

11th pick: seven times (70%)

12th pick: two times (20%)

4th pick: one time (10%)

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...-the-nba-draft-lottery-every-day-cooper-flagg

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Jaden Hardy could not capitalize on opportunities during the 2024-25 season

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The third year guard took a step back for Dallas

On October 21st, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that Jaden Hardy signed a three-year extension worth $18 million and would kick in at the start of the 2025-26 season. Hardy, fresh off a shockingly effective playoff run with the Dallas Mavericks where the team made the NBA Finals. The confident Hardy and his agent secured this inexpensive extension which helped bolster the Dallas guard depth heading into the 2024-25 season. While not a key cog for Dallas, Hardy showed signs of regular contribution, if he could earn the trust of head coach Jason Kidd. Unfortunately, in a season where many things went wrong, Hardy’s season also went awry.

Season Overview​

Following a January 9th victory over the Trailblazers where the Mavericks were without Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, third-year guard Jaden Hardy said that while, “you never want to see guys go out with injury, it’s the next man up and you’ve got to take advantage of the opportunity. I’m trying to make an impact and play the right way.” Although his impact on January 9th proved positive, Hardy unfortunately failed to live up to the goals he set for himself for much of the season.

Jaden Hardy has seemingly regressed this year. Despite having ample opportunity to prove his value following the departure of Luka Doncic and injuries to Kyrie Irving and Dante Exum, Hardy failed to demonstrate that he can contribute to winning basketball throughout the season. One could argue injuries derailed him, as multiple ankle sprains set him back often during the year.

Best game​

On the aforementioned January 9th game against Portland, Hardy scored his season high of 25 points against the Blazers and led the Mavericks to victory — one of only two they’d have in a ten-game span from December 28th to January 15th. In the January 9th game, Hardy displayed the skills that still make the 22-year-old player a tantalizing prospect — 5/9 shooting from three, two dimes, a steal, and five crucial points in the fourth to turn a ten-point deficit into an eventual six-point victory.

Season in Review:​

Unfortunately, the January 9th game proved to be one of the few bright spots for Hardy this season. In a season where the Mavericks often struggled with playmaking, Hardy’s inability to create for others proved a hindrance to his quest for more minutes as the season progressed. Coach Kidd often relied on Spencer Dinwiddie and Brandon Williams over Hardy for guard minutes. In a season where he played 57 games, Hardy only tallied five assists once all year, and only four assists three times. In comparison, Hardy had eleven total games where he tallied 4 or more assists, including two games where he dished out 7 dimes and one where he had nine. While numbers don’t often tell the full story of the season, both the stats and our eyes suggest that Hardy regressed in a season where the Mavericks needed him to step up.

Perhaps the most telling example of Hardy’s overall regression is his final regular-season game. With Kyrie out, and Brandon Williams hurt early in the game, Hardy was a -44 in 34 minutes of playtime. For the season, Hardy averaged 8.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. While his points and minutes are marginally up from his sophomore season, his assists and rebounds numbers went down. Such regression is probably not what the Mavericks front office had in mind when they signed him a new contract at the start of the 2024-2025 season.

Contract Status:​

Hardy signed a 3 year, $18 million rookie extension at the start of the season, which starts next year. He is currently on the books until the 2026-2027 season, with a team option for 2027-28.

Looking Ahead​

Things do not look great for Hardy moving forward. As expressed above, his placement in the Mavericks rotation was usurped by older, more trustworthy guards like Brandon Williams and Dante Exum. While I hope better days are ahead for Hardy, chances are that those days will be in another uniform.

Grade: D​

Hardy didn’t fail. But he showed very little to indicate that he’s more than a fringe rotation player. He’s capable of tough shot-making, including drives and catch-and-shoot threes. Unfortunately, he also displays poor situational awareness on both sides of the ball and that ends up burning him regularly. As of this writing, he’s the only healthy Dallas guard under contract next year (the Brandon Williams thing confuses me, maybe he counts), so maybe Hardy will have more chances. But after three years, it feels like it won’t happen for Hardy.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...ze-on-opportunities-during-the-2024-25-season

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Eastern Conference Semifinals Preview and Predictions

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

After a chalky first round, this is where the separation happens

The Eastern Conference has reached its final four, and we’ve got a couple of interesting series’ to preview. All of the higher seeds in the East advanced to the second round of the NBA Playoffs, which means we’ve got as good of a second round as we could hope for. With game one of the second round tipping off on Sunday afternoon, let’s preview the two tilts.

Odds provided by the DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change.

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (4) Indiana Pacers​

Series winner: Cavs (-425) Pacers (+330)​

Series spread: Cavs -1.5 games (-170) Pacers +1.5 games (+140)​

Tyler’s pick: Cavs in 6​

Perhaps I’m being too harsh on the Cavs here, as they really didn’t need to expend much effort to get past the Miami Heat in round one. However, the Pacers have proven to be a bear to play against due to their unique offensive system and high tempo. The Cavs are the better team here and I think they’ll eventually get this thing done, but I respect Rick Carlisle and Indiana too much to not think they won’t steal a couple games here.

Series props:​

• Evan Mobley to lead series in rebounds (+130)
• Cavs to be up 2-1 after game 3 (+115)
• Cavs in 5 (+285)
• Cavs in 6 (+450)

I like Mobley in this spot, as Jarrett Allen will draw the attention of Myles Turner and the Pacers’ center. Against Pascal Siakam, I think ample opportunities await Evan Mobley on the glass. As far as how the series will go, I don’t think we’re in for a sweep, nor do I think we’re in for a seven game thriller. With that in mind, it’s better to take the Cavs to get this done in five or six, compared to taking the series spread. The Cavs should be comfortable in an up and down series, which the Pacers will try to get into.

David’s pick: Cavs in 6​

This is going to be a fantastic series. Both teams have an offense that thrives on spacing and shooting. Both teams have great guard play, shot-blocking big men, and coaches with tenure in the playoffs. Unfortunately, Indiana does not have enough defense to contain the Cavaliers’ weapons for seven games. I think the Pacers put up a good fight, but ultimately, Cleveland’s weapons will be too much for Indiana to handle.

Series props:​

• Indiana +1.5 games (+140)
• Darius Garland to average 25+ points (+2500)
• Over 5.5 games (-115)

I like this to be a longer, fast-paced series. There will be a lot of points scored. Garland has a great opportunity, with a lot of attention going to Mobley and Mitchell. He may draw the Haliburton matchup, which will undoubtedly allow him to get a lot of shots up. Indiana will be able to get two games off of coaching alone, so the over on 5.5 games and the spread for Indiana seem too easy.

(2) Boston Celtics vs (3) New York Knicks​

Series winner: Celtics (-800) Knicks (+550)​

Series spread: Celtics -2.5 games (-130) Knicks +2.5 games (+110)​

Tyler’s pick: Celtics in 5​

The Celtics have won each of their last 5 playoff series’ in 5 games or less, and I don’t see any reason why that would change now. To be honest, I’d be more shocked if this series went six games compared to if it was a Celtics sweep. The Knicks could’ve very easily lost to the Detroit Pistons in their first round matchup, and Jalen Brunson’s ankle didn’t get any better the longer that series went. The Knicks struggled mightily against the NBA’s best this season, and the Celtics definitely qualify for that title. This should be quick.

Series props:​

• Jayson Tatum to lead the series in rebounds (+390)
• Celtics -2.5 games (-130)

With all due respect to Karl-Anthony Towns, he is not the most feared rebounder in the world. Beyond that, the Celtics are uniquely positioned to get him in foul trouble by getting him in switches. As we know, it’s hard to rebound the basketball when you are sitting on the bench. With that, I’ll take Tatum to lead the series in rebounds. If not for the wrist injury against the Orlando Magic, he would’ve led that series in boards, and I expect him to be active there again.

David’s pick: Celtics in 7​

The Celtics are heavily favored in this series, but I do not see why. When New York traded for Karl-Anthony Towns in October, my initial thought was how well they matched up with Boston. Sure, the Jalen Brunson matchup is still tough. But they have the wing depth to make life tough for Boston’s top scorers, and Towns can create the mismatch to match Kristaps Porzingis. I still think the Celtics are better, but the Knicks will turn a lot of heads. With a potential game seven in Boston, I find it hard to believe the Celtics would lose that.

Series props:​

• Knicks +2.5 games (+110)
• Celtics to win 4-3 (+500)
• Jalen Brunson to lead the series in scoring (+110)

The Knicks will push this series to at least six games. I think it will go seven, but taking +2.5 games instead of +1.5 accounts for some variability. The Celtics should ultimately win that game seven. Brunson not being favored to lead the series in scoring is puzzling, considering the Celtics’ willingness to share and the volume of shots Brunson gets.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...ew-predictions-boston-celtics-new-york-knicks

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Western Conference Semifinals Preview and Predictions

Photo by Jon Putman/Anadolu via Getty Images

The league’s best conference continues to deliver

The NBA Playoffs continue to deliver, buoyed by the absolute carnage that has been the Western Conference thus far. We’ve had two first round series’ go the distance, while the others each had redeeming qualities that made this first round pretty epic. No doubt for Dallas Mavericks fans, seeing this quality of hoops can only harken back to this time last year, when it was us who was getting to enjoy the ride. Anyhow, that’s neither here nor there, so let’s get into the basketball being played. If you missed it, be sure to catch our Eastern Conference semifinals preview!

Odds provided by the DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change.

(1) OKC Thunder vs (4) Denver Nuggets​

Series winner: OKC (-700) Denver (+500)​

Series spread: OKC -2.5 games (-135) Denver +2.5 games (+115)​

Tyler’s pick: Thunder in 5​

I have a ton of respect for Nikola Jokic, but I also understand the mountain that Denver is going to have to climb here. If you remember last year’s Western Conference Finals, the Wolves had just come off of a game 7 win in Denver, and then had to turn around and play the Mavericks in game one of the WCF just a couple days later. That is still to this day the only game one that Jason Kidd has won as the coach of the Mavericks. The moral of the story: Denver is going to be behind from the jump against a rested and ready Thunder team who, in case you forgot, is 72-14.

Series props:​

• Thunder to sweep (+230)
• Thunder in 5 (+230)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to lead the series in 3 pointers made (+500)

Lu Dort is the favorite to lead the series in 3 pointers made. My brain can’t physically comprehend that being reality, so based on principal alone, I’m looking somewhere else. Please don’t follow me here.

David’s pick: Thunder in 7​

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic have serious cases for being the best players in the league. They each have their own way of controlling a game and completely bending the defense to their will. Jokic has a championship to show for his greatness, and Gilgeous-Alexander is looking for one to validate himself. It truly will be a clash of titans and a chess match. I denied the Thunder’s greatness in round one, and they spurned me. But this time, I have the three-time MVP on my side. Denver will not go quietly into the night. They will push and push until the Thunder’s depth wears on them in seven games and they advance to their first conference finals since 2012.

Series props:​

• Denver +2.5 games (+125)
• OKC to be winning 2-1 after 3 games (+120)
• Michael Porter Jr. to lead the series in threes made (+1100)

I think OKC will be able to jump on Denver in game one with the short turnaround, but Denver can get one of the next two. The Nuggets are going to win at least two games; that is the floor that Jokic provides. Porter Jr. has great value here if he can get healthier and hit some shots.

(6) Minnesota Timberwolves vs (7) Golden State Warriors​

Series winner: Minnesota (-180) Golden State (+155)​

Series spread: Minnesota -1.5 games (+115) Golden State +1.5 games (-135)​

Tyler’s pick: Wolves in 6​

How about the six seed having home court in a playoff series! That is the uniqueness that this Western Conference provides. Just like above, Golden State is in a horrific situational spot for game one, coming off of a seven game street fight against the Houston Rockets. Combine that with the narrative that Anthony Edwards can body bag another NBA Legend on his way to a second consecutive conference finals appearance, and that’s all the convincing I need. From a basketball standpoint, Minnesota is just so much deeper than the Warriors, and eventually that will catch up to the older Dubs here.

Series props:​

• Minnesota to win game one and to win the series (-115)
• Wolves -1.5 games (+115)
• Wolves -2.5 games (+220)

David’s pick: Warriors in 7​

This series is going to be physical. The Warriors are undersized, much like the Lakers were, but Draymond Green is far better than any makeshift center the Lakers had to offer. Whether or not Rudy Gobert can establish himself will, once again, be a key to the series. However, I am fully bought in on the Jimmy Butler experience and expect this to be another team he unexpectedly carries to a conference finals. The Wolves are going to have to wait one more year, at least, before they take the throne.

Series props:

• Anthony Edwards to lead the series in threes made (+185)
• Over 5.5 games (-155)
• Warriors to win 4-3 (+700)

Edwards has great value here, considering the volume of threes he takes and the way they will guard Steph Curry. This series is going at least six games, and the Warriors will win in seven, so take these to play into that outcome.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...ctions-steph-curry-anthony-edwards-jokic-shai

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

J.J. Redick gives unexpected support to Nico Harrison

Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

Less than a week after the Lakers’ season ended, Luka Doncic’s conditioning is again under question

On February 2nd, Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison pulled off a shocking trade in the middle of the night, swapping Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. The move was so surprising and unexpected that many who reported on it had to assure fans their social media accounts were not hacked and the deal was real. The trade was plainly inexplicable to most observers, at least until Harrison let the public in on his rationale. The GM espoused a “defense wins championships” mantra, but the widespread rumors that he and the organization viewed Doncic’s conditioning as problematic were undeniable. It got to the point where Doncic was asked specifically about it, with his response prompting a question to Harrison regarding the matter.

Nico: "I feel the same way he does, I've actually never spoken ill of Luka at all and I'm just ready to move on with this team that we have" https://t.co/AKpELo5HRl pic.twitter.com/qdbkf4cdp4

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 21, 2025​

Although Harrison has tried to reverse that narrative when he declares, “I’ve actually never spoken ill of Luka at all,” it remains a difficult genie to put back in the bottle, particularly when his other comments appear to have a double meaning. Sam Gannon of Dallas’ Fox 4 recently asked Harrison about his feelings toward Doncic’s conditioning and received this response:

There have been reports leaked about Luka’s work ethic and conditioning…so I asked Nico if there was any truth to those reports or if he could point to something specific that made him move in another direction with this franchise: pic.twitter.com/4CViMbRXCd

— Sam Gannon (@SamGannon87) April 15, 2025​

On the surface is an outright compliment and acknowledgement of Doncic’s talent, however, it is wrapped in what seems to be a not-so-subtle qualifier as he states “[Luka]’s probably dropped the most points when maybe he’s not in the best conditioning.” For a guy who scored 30 or more points in half of his games played this season, scoring the most while being unfit seems to imply he is perpetually unfit.

Whatever the case, Harrison may now have company in the not-so-subtle department when it comes to Doncic. ESPN’s “First Take” dedicated thirteen minutes of a recent episode to dissecting comments made by Lakers’ coach J.J. Redick. Redick’s “mind goes immediately” to the work required “to be in championship shape.” He continues, “certainly there are individuals that were in phenomenal shape, there’s certainly other ones that could have been in better shape.”

To be clear, nowhere did Redick mention Doncic’s name, but it’s difficult to imagine many (if any) other players on the Lakers he could have been speaking of. Factor in this topic being the most important focus for LA this Offseason, it is not a stretch that it applies to arguably their most important player.

Dallas fans are no strangers to this type of talk since well before the trade took place, but hearing Doncic’s new head coach make comments like this suddenly shines new light on Harrison’s way of thinking. Many would contend the trade was ill conceived regardless, but this perception of Doncic is now proliferating in ways it never had prior to this season. Harrison’s reputation may be so badly damaged that no one will give him the credit for being correct, even if he is ultimately proven to be just that. Still, for the first time since the trade, he seems to have outside support. The ramifications of the trade will likely play out over many, many seasons to come and will be redefined accordingly. We will have to see if this is the first-and-only, or first-of-many times Harrison gains some measure of credibility for the almost universally panned trade.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/5/5/24423901/redick-gives-unexpected-support-to-nico-harrison

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Additional perspectives on the trade of Luka Doncic – Part I

Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

The Mavericks’ season is over and now Luka Donic joins Dallas on vacation – did anyone actually “win” the shocking trade?

The Dallas Mavericks saw their season come to a close in a forgettable 120-106 loss on April 18th. Twelve days later, the Los Angeles Lakers joined Dallas in making Offseason vacation plans. Now that the season has ended for all parties involved in one of the most surprising trades in NBA history, we find ourselves at a unique inflexion point. For the first time since the February 2nd trade, we sit in a vacuum where things are no longer developing in real time. Until at least the Draft, and more likely until the Offseason and Free Agency kick in, focus shifts away from Dallas and LA to the teams vying for a championship in June. Following the Lakers’ Playoff ouster last Wednesday night, the book can finally be closed on the trade (until next season, that is) and we can take a view of the fallout as it pertains to various parties – some of whom have not gotten much attention to this point – to determine if any of them has yet “won” (or can still “win”) as a result of the Doncic-for-Anthony Davis swap. In Part I, we’ll take a view of things close to home. In Part II, we’ll have a view of things that are somewhat more tangential to the Mavs.

Nico Harrison​

There isn’t much to say about Harrison that has not already been said, but we can’t have a trade assessment without including the orchestrator himself. He received an unprecedented wave of backlash for the trade, and it did not wane in the months following. In an otherwise normal circumstance, he would at least have a chance at coming out on top somewhere down the line. If Doncic flames out amidst conditioning and injury issues, or the Mavs win a championship(s) in the near future, Harrison gets his “I told you so” moment. In this actual circumstance, even if things transpire in such a manner, the cloak-and-dagger way of going about the trade may very well have damaged his NBA reputation beyond repair. If that alone didn’t do it, add on the fact he made the near-unprecedented move of trash-talking Doncic following the trade, then reluctantly scheduled a private, short-notice press conference in mid-April that went over like a proverbial lead balloon. He has done nothing to help his own cause. As we’ll see in Part II, Harrison cost more than one influential person a lot of money with this trade. It’s not unreasonable to think that players around the league may not take kindly to the notion the same could happen to them in the middle of the night if they cross paths with the maligned GM.

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon recently featured on “The Right Time with Bomani Jones” and shared a damning indictment. MacMahon said “I was talking to somebody who’s in an ownership group of another Western Conference team recently, and they basically said, ‘I hate to say it, but this is going to be his legacy. This trade’s his legacy. Like, he’s never going to work in the NBA again.’”

Harrison has been cast in a unique villain role, with any path to redemption difficult to find. His own actions, coupled with an absurd string of injuries that prevented any post-trade positives, allowed for perpetual disdain to take root and it may not be possible to change the prevailing view at this point or in the future. When it’s all said and done, Harrison may lose regardless of what the Mavericks win. It’s almost impossible to envision him coming up roses at this point, but time will tell.

The Mavericks​

Had it not been for a ludicrous string of injuries, the Mavericks most likely would have looked pretty good this year. The seventeen players on their year-end roster were generally well balanced on a variety of fronts, including – age (ten players under the league average age of 28), position distribution (seven backcourt; ten frontcourt) and experience (eleven with six or fewer years; five with ten or more years). They feature a frightening front line with P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively, Daniel Gafford and Anthony Davis. They have two bona fide stars in Kyrie Irving and Davis, and although some argue that neither is in the upper echelon of the elite, they are nevertheless two of the best players in the league and likely Hall of Famers. The team also seems well tied together. In their exit interviews, both Washington and Lively touched on the notion that the trade (and ensuing backlash) fortified the team and left them with a desire to prove their legitimacy as a contender. This attitude should not be understated.

The Mavericks also have a somewhat abstract asset in terms of salary cap management. Doncic was eligible to sign a supermax contract of $345M for five years with Dallas. Even with the new media rights deal that will bump the salary cap, that is a massive number. The current CBA is incredibly punitive for teams that exceed the first and second aprons. Not only are there tax ramifications, but major limitations to the types of trades that can be made and what exceptions are available. To be clear, this is not an endorsement of the trade, but simply an observation that the team likely has more flexibility without the weight of a supermax contract on the books.

Despite the positives, there are obvious problems in Big D. Irving suffered an ACL injury that will optimistically keep him out of action until January. Davis came to Dallas injured and only lasted two-and-a-half quarters before getting reinjured. Aside from Irving, the Mavs currently roster Jaden Hardy and Brandon Williams as the only two ballhandlers under contract. Speaking of contracts, Williams’ is bewilderingly structured such that he can become an unrestricted free agent after next season. Obviously, the Mavs will look to address the backcourt void in the Offseason, but it’s reasonable to expect Nico Harrison to be all-in on this roster, perhaps re-signing Spencer Dinwiddie and/or Dante Exum as opposed to a major overhaul. He will want to see his brainchild prove him right. With months to go before we have the chance to see the team at full strength, there are many unknowns and there will be limited (if any) time for management to assess what they have on-court prior to next year’s trade deadline. This core may very well be what we see until at least the end of next season.

With that all said, the Mavericks’ championship window was almost unquestionably longer with Doncic than without. They have every opportunity to contend now, but likely have only a few years to do so, with some of that time wasting away with an injured Irving. Unless they net themselves a trophy soon, the trade could very well prove to be the unmitigated disaster most have already declared it to be. Whether they “win” or “lose” the trade basically hinges exclusively on winning a ring with this core.

In part two (coming tomorrow) we’ll have a look at the other parties involved in the trade, namely the Los Angeles Lakers, Luka Doncic and a key figure who has gone overlooked in the discourse thus far – Bill Duffy.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...-donic-trade-los-angeles-lakers-nico-harrison

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks part ways with multiple training staff members

Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

The move comes 22 days after GM Nico Harrison’s public defense of staff in media “roundtable.”

The Dallas Mavericks have dismissed several training staff members, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. The move follows a season riddled with injuries that ultimately kept the Mavericks out of the playoffs following an NBA Finals appearance.

According to the report, the dismissals include head athletic trainer Dionne Calhoun and athletic performance director Keith Belton. The Mavericks declined to comment on the changes.

Belton was hired by Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison last summer, while Calhoun had been with the Mavericks for 21 years and was one of the remaining members of former head athletic trainer Casey Smith’s staff. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Belton did not have either of the required certifications to be an NBA strength coach and was described as a “glorified cheerleader.”

Belton was involved in an altercation involving the director of player health and performance, Johann Bilsborough, following Dereck Lively’s foot injury. Lively went through a vigorous return-to-play workout under Belton’s supervision. Bilsborough urged Belton to have Lively get a CT scan that revealed he had an ankle stress fracture. The altercation between the two was described as “loud” and “heated,” but never got physical.

The dismissals shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, especially after this reporting was revealed six days after Nico Harrison sat at a hand-selected media roundtable and defended his training staff on how they handled Lively’s injury.

The Mavericks had an injury-plagued season from start to finish, leading the league in wins missed due to injury. Even if the reporting on the previously mentioned altercation was never made public, changes needed to be made due to the mismanagement of injuries that lasted all season.

Calhoun’s dismissal just further drives home the point that Harrison wants new faces in his regime, while Belton’s dismissal appears to be from the public heat the Mavericks faced following the report on how he handled Lively’s injury. Both of these point to the fact that Harrison is a reckless decision-maker as the franchise continues to unravel following his decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Allowing a trainer who is not officially certified to make decisions on the health of this team should be a fireable offense, especially considering how it turned out for Dallas.

Dallas is attempting to right the wrongs they created that resulted in a season that none of us want to remember, but are delaying the inevitable of continuing to let poor decision-makers be in a position of power.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/5/7/24425897/mavericks-dismiss-several-training-staff-members

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Additional perspectives on the trade of Luka Dončić – Part II

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

The Mavericks’ season is over and now Luka Dončić joins Dallas on vacation – did anyone actually “win” the shocking trade?

With the 2024-2025 NBA Season officially a wrap for the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers, the current chapter on the Luka Dončić trade is at least temporarily closed. With that in mind, we exhaled for a moment and took a look at where Nico Harrison and the organization currently stands in Part I. With two parties playing a role in the trade, it would be remiss to ignore the other side of the transaction as we assess if any party can actually come out a “winner” in the deal. In this Part II, we will take a view of things that sit closer to Dončić and his new home in LA.

The Lakers​

In the immediate aftermath of the trade, the Lakers were declared the winners. While Anthony Davis is anything but a slouch, it remains difficult to argue that the Lakers acquiring a six-year-younger generational talent like Luka Dončić isn’t an almost automatic win. Beyond this, the fact Dallas received relatively little in return only helped make the trade appear to be a landslide win for LA. For comparison sake, when the New York Knicks picked up Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets, it cost them (among some players):

• Four unprotected 1st Round Picks (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031)
• One unprotected pick swap (2028)
• One top-four protected 1st Round Pick (2025)
• One 2nd Round Pick (2025)

Granted the Lakers did not have anywhere near the same assets available as the Knicks, but Dallas getting a single 1st Round Pick (2029) as part of the swap only made the trade all the more mind-boggling. The Lakers received a generational talent to work alongside, and then ultimately replace, LeBron James as a franchise cornerstone and did so without having to give up too much else in the deal.

With that being said, the Lakers don’t necessarily have the world as their oyster. As Jacob Rude of our sister site Silverscreenandroll so aptly points out, LA does not have the most favorable cap situation at the moment. They are nearly $50 million over the cap, $17 million into the luxury tax threshold, $10 million above the first apron and within shouting distance of the terrifying second apron (Please note, Jacob’s linked article dates to February 6th when it was still expected the Lakers’ trade for Mark Williams was happening; further, the salary cap will increase this Offseason. Regardless, the general picture remains that the Lakers have few picks as is, can’t really trade any of them and will likely be unable to play in Free Agency to a meaningful degree).

An in-depth discussion of the first and second aprons is enough to make your head spin and is better served elsewhere, but suffice it to say the current Collective Bargaining Agreement is intensely punitive. This is especially true for a team that broaches the first and (moreover) second apron. There are tax ramifications, restrictions on what type of trades can be made, restrictions on which picks can be traded and what exceptions are available for use. Simply put, it can get ugly very quickly and LA may need to be creative to build around Dončić. Teams that have no flexibility whatsoever can create flexibility overnight (the Knicks did this to acquire Jalen Brunson), but LA likely has some work to do. Also, the topic of Dončić’s fitness has seemingly followed him to LA, as head coach J.J. Redick suggested some players need to get themselves into championship shape. Finally, as unlikely as it may seem, there remains at least a possibility that Dončić seeks employment elsewhere. He may very well play out his current contract without signing an extension this Offseason, so that he can explore Free Agency (Miami, anyone?) next year. LA has a truly generational talent, but will have to figure out a way to improve a roster that proved to be a quick out in the first round of this year’s playoffs.

Luka Dončić​

Similar to Nico Harrison in Part I, there isn’t much to say that hasn’t already been said. Remember Dončić watching his tribute video with tears in his eyes when he returned to the American Airlines Center and you have all you need to know. Beyond that, there are two points that perhaps don’t get enough attention.

The financial implications for Dončić did not get as much attention as they could have since the trade. With Dallas, Dončić was eligible to sign a supermax contract worth $345 million. Following the trade, this is no longer the case, as LA does not have the right to offer a supermax. Instead, they can offer a deal totaling $229 million. That is a delta of $116 million. There are innumerable players with total contracts smaller than what Doncic lost due to the trade! This says nothing to future contracts that would build off the prior contract as well. Doncic missed out on a staggering amount of career earnings, plain and simple.

The narrative following the trade was that the Lakers would instantly be propelled to true contender status. Having gone on a tear post-trade, that narrative gained a strong foothold. It wasn’t until the Lakers were quickly dispatched in the Playoffs that attention began to focus on the team having a somewhat incomplete roster. In many ways, the current Laker roster is eerily familiar to the 2021-22 Mavericks roster that made it to the Western Conference Finals, despite not having the same level of success thus far. That team featured Dončić along with Jalen Brunson, who while not LeBron James, is now a star in his own right. It also featured a relative dearth of centers, and a handful of undrafted (or late drafted) players (including Dorian Finney-Smith, who ironically featured on both teams). Dončić’s trajectory is truly unique, as players of his caliber are virtually never traded, at least not without having input on destination. Assuming James will retire and/or see his production decline at some point within the next few years, Dončić may experience a career reset of sorts. Up to the trade, Dončić had followed a relatively typical super star trajectory where the team builds around him and then enjoys some deep Playoff runs during years five through eight (and beyond) of the stars’ career. Dončić may now have to go through that growth again. If that is the case, Harrison may not only have cost Dončić millions, but could potentially have shortened his championship window to a degree.

Bill Duffy​

As Dončić’s agent, there has been a surprising lack of discussion regarding the trade’s impact on Bill Duffy. We have no idea what percentage of any player’s contract Duffy gets, but generally speaking, sports agents can expect to see between 3%-5% of a player’s overall deal. If we assume Duffy would net 4% of Dončić’s deal, and referring back to the $116 million Dončić lost without the supermax, that means Duffy could be missing out on $4.6 million dollars as a result of the trade. Duffy is a well-regarded, long-tenured agent in the NBA. Depending on which Google search you believe, he reps players including Anthony Edwards, Zion Williamson, Anfernee Simons, Chet Holmgren and many others, to say nothing of future impact players he will rep. Harrison had to be aware of the financial impact on Duffy, a key agent in the league, when he pulled the trigger on the trade. He also had to be aware of the history the Mavericks have with Duffy.

Once upon a time, Duffy was the agent of a player Mavs’ fans may be familiar with – Steve Nash. When the Mavs refused to offer Nash as robust a contract as the Phoenix Suns did in Free Agency, he walked. This resulted in a year’s long cold war between Duffy and Mark Cuban that was eventually mended in time for Draft night 2018. Back then, Duffy ended up better off financially. Come this summer, he will end up infinitely worse. Does this re-ignite a cold war between Duffy and the Mavs? Do the Mavericks get a seat at the table with Duffy-repped players? We won’t know until we know, but a covert trade in the middle of the night doesn’t feel like it would sit well with an agent that lost millions of dollars as a result.

At its worst, the trade of Luka Dončić could potentially be a disastrous loss for all parties involved. Harrison will have a difficult time salvaging his reputation. The Mavs likely have a shorter window to win. The Lakers could potentially lose Dončić, but at least will need to get working on roster improvements. Dončić lost a ton of money and may have stepped back in terms of roster and career progress. Duffy lost money and may have renewed disdain for the Mavs.

There are of course positive outcomes where everyone can win in their own right, but the initial impact of the trade may prove to have deeper ramifications that are better seen now that the Offseason has come for all parties involved.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...os-angeles-lakers-dallas-mavericks-miami-heat

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Spencer Dinwiddie highlights Dwight Powell as a standout voice in the locker room

Photo by Jack Arent/NBAE via Getty Images

It wasn’t just vet leaders Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis who helped lead the team through hard times this season.

In his exit interview recently, Spencer Dinwiddie made a point out of mentioning Dwight Powell as a guy who kept the team engaged and motivated during adversity.

Despite barely being in the rotation this year, Powell still made a difference for his teammates, Dinwiddie says:

“From a culture standpoint, Dwight Powell is a great voice in the locker room. His energy is unmatched.”

Dinwiddie made sure to also give credit to the vet leaders of the team, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis (Davis, who joined the team after the Luka Doncic trade in the beginning of February 2025). He emphasized the trust the team has in the duo moving forward:

“From a true leadership perspective, I think Kyrie and AD (Anthony Davis) are obviously phenomenal leaders and will guide this team where it needs to go.”

And Brandon Williams, the two-way player who the Dallas Mavericks converted into a roster spot at the end of the season, seems to agree. In his exit interview, he spoke about how Irving was a large part of why Williams had a breakout year in Dallas:

“Leaned on Kyrie a lot. He’s a big brother, a mentor for me. Someone I try to model my game after. For him to be in my back pocket, one phone call away, that was almost like having a cheat sheet,” he said.

Williams stepped up as a starter and much needed point guard during the period when the Mavs roster was in dire need of bodies due to injuries. Not only was Williams a body to put on the court, he had multiple big games with great guard play and table setting, as well as a number of double digit scoring games.

He mentioned that he models his game after Irving, which is easy to see when you look closely at his highlights, getting inspiration from Irving’s shiftiness and finishing abilities as an undersized guard.

Mavs guard Brandon Williams is a pure hooper Shifty PG who has a natural ability to make plays and get buckets. pic.twitter.com/1a18cLwQ9H

— Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) March 30, 2025​

Back at Mavs media day in the beginning of the season, Dwight Powell reflected on his own journey, and said something that may shed a little light on how he may have used his voice in that locker room during some of the hardest times:

“The power of belief and thought know no bounds,” Powell said when describing his own path to the NBA.

His future with Dallas is uncertain, however, as his $4 million contract is expiring with a player option for next season.

Powell is by far the longest-tenured player on the team at this point. Interestingly, the second-longest is now guard Jaden Hardy, who was selected as recently as the 2022 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks, illustrating just how big of a change the roster has been through.

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...out-voice-in-the-locker-room-dallas-mavericks