Dallas Mavericks roundtable: How will the Mavs do this season?

Mavs Glue Guy

Dwight Powell

“The Mavs re-signed Powell essentially as a culture move. The Mavs have fallen in love with Powell ever since acquiring him from the Celtics. The Mavs awarded Powell with a three year extension without giving him much of a raise at all from his previous deal. Powell’s impact in the offense is undeniable, but his defense can still come and go. The addition of Boban Marjanovic and the retention of Maxi Kleber enables the big man rotation to be as deep as it’s ever been in Dallas.” –Evan Siegel

Tim Hardaway Jr.

“Call me crazy but maybe Tim Hardaway Jr. was onto something when he referred to himself as the Michael Finley to the Kristaps and Luka duo. He may not play like Finley, but he sure does fit the team like one. As a possible third scoring option, Hardaway spent time with the Mavericks last season and bonded with Luka as a perimeter shooter for Doncic to target. Hardaway also spent his time playing alongside Porzingis as a role player on the Knicks. He can be the glue that holds this team together and help them reach the playoffs.” –Arsal Hussain

Maxi Kleber

“This is another difficult prediction given that the Mavericks have not given much indication of who all will be starting this season. That being said, Maxi Kleber has my vote for the team’s glue guy this year. Maxi is a guy who protects the rim well and sets the tone defensively. Blocks at the rim are always a way to increase a team’s momentum and Maxi is no slouch in the rejection category. Offensively, Maxi will be a fourth or fifth option if deemed a starter- meaning he will have little attention paid to him on offense. Kleber is capable of knocking down open three-pointers and catching lobs, two more things that can help set the tone and build momentum.” –Josh Gamel

“It is my belief that Maxi Kleber is one of the most underrated players in the league. His defensive abilities and effort are indispensable to Dallas’ success. In addition to covering for his teammates on the defensive end, Kleber has developed into an excellent outside shooter. His jumper opens up the floor on offense and allows the team to run a true 5-out offense when he shares the floor with Porzingis next year. Add in the fact that he’s a great locker room presence, a hard worker, and smart player and Kleber makes a lot of sense as the glue guy.” –Sean Bush

Jalen Brunson

“Brunson is so crafty and his high basketball I.Q. is off the charts. The team is going to need his leadership leading the second unit and possibly even closing out games.” –Charles Allen

Dorian Finney-Smith

“Dorian Finney-Smith is a great glue guy for this team. He is a good teammate who knows his role and does it well, but also has the versatility to play in whatever role is needed from him. He may not be able to do anything excellently, but he does everything well and that is so important for a glue guy.” –Kohl Rast