Dallas Mavericks: DeAndre Jordan instantly improves the offense

The Dallas Mavericks signed DeAndre Jordan this offseason.  Fans are touting his defensive ability and forgetting his instant impact on the offensive end.

The Dallas Mavericks inked DeAndre Jordan to a one-year deal in free agency.  Jordan is entering his 11th season in NBA.  He is known for his defensive chops including making the All-Defensive team twice and winning the rebounding title three times.  Jordan was also an All-Star in 2017.

His defensive ability gets plenty of press as it did in his time with the Clippers, but Jordan has an underrated offensive game.  Last season, he was second in the NBA in field goal percentage (64.5 percent), third in offensive rebounds per game (4.3), and second in effective field goal percentage (64.5 percent).

Jordan is also one of the NBA’s best roll men.  According to Synergy, he scored 1.253 points per possession as a roll man last season.  Jordan shot 68.5 percent in that category.  He is difficult to stop because of his screening and lob threat capabilities.

Barea believes Jordan is a game changer

The Mavericks veteran point guard J.J. Barea discussed Jordan’s offensive game and how it fits well in the modern NBA on Sept. 23.  Below is a quote from Barea courtesy of Dwain Price.

Plenty of room for improvement

The Mavs did not excel on the offensive end last season.  According to NBA stats, they rated 28th in points per game, 26th in field goal percentage, 30th (or last) in offensive rebounding, and 23rd in offensive rating.

Jordan should help Dallas improve in all those statistics.  He likely makes the biggest impact in rebounding and offensive rating.

The Mavericks should also increase their pace this season.  They ranked 27th last year, but the addition of Luka Doncic should see the Mavs looking to score quicker.  The move of Dirk Nowitzki to the bench also impacts their pace.  In his 21st season, Dirk is not getting out and running the floor.  He also likely sees a few less minutes this year in his new role.

Overall, the Dallas Mavericks should be an improved offensive team this season, and DeAndre Jordan will be a massive part of that transition.

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