Dallas Mavericks: Grading the Mavs signing of Seth Curry

Dallas Mavericks fans can enjoy the return of Seth Curry after he agreed to a four-year deal. Here is a grade of his signing.

The Dallas Mavericks agreed to a contract with Seth Curry on July 1. Marc Stein reports, it is a four-year deal worth $32 million. The contract cannot be made official until July 6.

The signing allowed Mavericks fans to breathe a sigh of relief. Before Donnie Nelson and Mark Cuban agreed to the Curry deal, Dallas experienced quite the freefall by losing out on numerous players. Fortunately for MFFL faithful, Curry’s last stint with Dallas ended on a positive note, which ultimately made this reunion a no-brainer signing.

Besides the expected retention of the Kristaps Porzingis, the Dallas front office allowed players such as ideal fit Patrick Beverley to escape its free-agent radar.

Fit with Luka

However, Cuban and company wouldn’t sit on their hands for long. Not only is Seth Curry a feel-good signing, but more importantly, he fits like a glove next to the franchise player, Luka Doncic.

Although Curry’s last outing as a Maverick was an absolute 180 in terms of team expectations, his shooting and deceptive ball-handling skills bode well for any timetable. There will be an instant difference in Luka’s drive-and-kick plays thanks to Curry’s floor-stretching ability.

According to NBA tracking stats, none of the Mavericks mustered at least one 3-pointer per game when connecting with Luka during his rookie season. Admittedly the numbers are a rough estimate, but Harrison Barnes (who was traded to the Kings at the deadline) was the leader with 0.6. It was a sight for sore eyes witnessing players frequently unable to finish open looks provided by the Rookie of the Year.

Dallas helped Seth Curry carve out a name for himself in the star-studded NBA landscape during the 2016-2017 season. The goodwill, regardless of it coming in a rebuilding year, evidently aged well for the 28-year-old combo guard. Time has come for Curry to return the favor by being the dead-eye shooter the Mavericks desperately need.

Besides shooting guard Ryan Broekhoff, Dallas was void of any 40-plus percent 3-point marksman last season. Seth Curry is a fantastic 3-point shooter. The guard averages an impressive 43.9 percent for his career. A 3-point rate with such success is sure to trigger a joyful Luka Doncic.

Signing grade: B+

Seth Curry’s identity in the league is shamefully met with eye-rolling comparisons to his older brother. Such a close-minded narrative cripples actual basketball analysis of a legitimate 3-point specialist. Ignore the jokes and lazy comparisons. Instead, look at what Curry brings to the court.

A four-year deal paying $8 million annually for a player who will instantly ease up offensive responsibilities of both Luka and Kristaps Porzingis is good business. Seth is on the right side of 30, thus fitting like a glove in Dallas’ current timetable.

Although he isn’t known for his veteran presence, Seth’s NBA journey is commendable for underdogs across the league. Therefore, his non-verbal leadership demands respect.

Regardless of the sequence in the deal being announced, the report of Seth Curry returning was met with a resoundingly positive reaction. He isn’t Kemba Walker nor Al Horford, but a need was fulfilled nonetheless. A long-term deal with no burden on the short-term team build is hard to find.

All those reasons make the Seth Curry signing a great deal. The Dallas Mavericks earned a B-plus for the move.