Ranking all the Dallas Mavericks summer moves so far
By Kohl Rast
The Wait and See
1. Kostas Antetokounmpo
The last pick of the 2018 NBA Draft was the ultimate flyer pick (and not just because he came from the Dayton Flyers). Kostas Antetokounmpo, brother of the Greek Freak, Giannis, and nicknamed the Assassin from Athens (by me), may not have shown he is NBA ready, but he sure has the build and athletic ability to turn into a steal of a pick.
2. Losing Nerlens Noel
No one can really be sure how this is going to turn out for Dallas since Nerlens Noel never really made it on the court enough to see what he can do. I wish the situation was handled a little bit better, but if he didn’t make the cut for Carlisle as a player, then I get letting him go. Still, if he succeeds, this one could look bad for Dallas.
3. Johnathan Motley
I am nowhere near as high on Johnathan Motley as a lot of people are, but I can see that he is ready to get his chance. Hopefully he gains a big portion of the backup minutes at the center position as opposed to having to turn to the Tunisian Tower. No matter what the case, Motley deserves a chance to prove himself before anyone goes too high or too low on him.
4. Ray Spalding
I was close to putting Spalding in the good section for this one, but that is because I have really taken a liking to the big man from Louisville. Spalding has shown that he has put in the work in preparation for his upcoming NBA chances and I think that he is going to capitalize on them. Look out for Spalding down the road as a potential draft steal.
5. Jalen Brunson
Brunson is already looking like a lock on the Mavs regular season roster, even though his summer league has not been as exciting as many anticipated. Still, with his expertise and leadership, he will be a great addition to the Mavs team. I am keeping him in the wait and see section for now, but I see a bright future for the former NCAA Player of the Year.