Mavericks' forgotten gift will surely fast-track their return to Finals contention

The Dallas Mavericks were handed a gift from the basketball gods following the 2025 NBA Draft as Ryan Nembhard somehow went undrafted.

The 29 other teams across the league somehow didn't draft the guard who just put up the fifth-most assists in a single season in NCAA history, and the Mavs struck gold by signing Nembhard to a two-way deal. He quickly proved that he's no ordinary rookie at NBA Summer League, as he dropped 21 points in his first game against the Los Angeles Lakers and hit a go-ahead 3-pointer in the clutch, but his greatness won't stop at July's Summer League and his games playing for the Texas Legends next season.

Nembhard will directly impact winning in Dallas at some point over the next few years, and he could be a major reason that they return to being title contenders soon.

Ryan Nembhard could be an X-factor in Dallas before we know it

When the Mavericks traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis back in February, it was a major sign that Nico Harrison was all in on winning a title as soon as possible. He traded the 25-year-old face of the franchise for a 31-year-old big man, and he reiterated his win-now mentality by punting on a 24-year-old Quentin Grimes, who was set to become a restricted free agent this summer, to bring in Caleb Martin.

Dallas' intense need to win a title at some point over the next few years was alleviated by them winning the draft lottery and selecting Cooper Flagg, and now they're rolling with a two-timeline approach.

The Mavs are no longer desperate to win a title as soon as possible, but they do have to get moving in the right direction and at least become contenders. Dallas did not look like a real contender at the end of last season, as they missed the NBA Playoffs for the second time in three seasons, and even though Kyrie Irving was out, they didn't show signs that they were ready to become one of the juggernauts of the West.

Flagg's addition just gave them the ability to do that, but he isn't the only rookie who will help the Mavericks get back to the promised land. Nembhard proved that he can be a win-now guard in Las Vegas, as his poise, passing, 3-point shooting, and basketball IQ were off the charts, and now he'll be looking to carry over this positive momentum into his rookie season.

His ability to make reads in a split second is one of the most intriguing parts about his game, and he always feels like he is in control. He showed everyone that he can play on or off the ball through playing next to Flagg, and his mind for tthe game can't be taught.

The Mavs shutting down Nembhard after only three Summer League games shows exactly how they feel about him, as only highly-touted players typically get shut down early in Las Vegas, and they know they got a steal in him. He definitely should've been drafted, and he is about to push the Mavericks in the right direction to be a feared contender once again.

It remains unclear how his rookie year is going to look, as he is on a two-way deal (meaning he can only be active for 50 games for the Mavs and spend time with the Legends), but this doesn't mean he won't make a difference. Last season, Brandon Williams signed a second two-way deal with Dallas after being on a two-way deal for the season prior, and he broke out like no one could have expected.

Williams averaged 8.3 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the field and 40 percent from downtown, and he played so well that Dallas decided to convert his two-way contract to a standard deal. This is exactly what teams hope for when they sign a player to a two-way deal, and he set a great example of what sticking to the grind can do. He now enters next season as someone who could play a major role while Irving is sidelined, and we could see a similar developmental path for Nembhard.

As a rookie, he just needs to prove that he can play real minutes, take care of the ball, and lead the offense, and he could be a candidate to receive a standard deal by the end of the season if he plays so well that the Mavs think they need him for the playoffs.

Even if he doesn't earn a standard deal by the end of the 2025-26 season, a productive rookie season would undoubtedly lead the Mavericks to want to bring him back on another two-way deal or a standard contract for the 2026-27 season. This will likely be the season that Nembhard really spreads his wings, and if he can be an every-night type of role player by year two, the rest of the league should be terrified for thinking that there were 60 better 2025 rookies than Ryan Nembhard.

The Mavericks' guard depth already isn't great to begin with, and Nembhard could find himself seperating himself from the pack much sooner than expected.

Every team needs multiple creators, and he and Flagg growing together should help Nembhard become a key piece in Dallas' rotation one day. He is a winner, fits Mavericks culture perfectly, is incredibly skilled, and always plays hard, and these types of characteristics typically lead to a player panning out at the NBA level.

Mavericks fans know that undersized guards who were counted out entering the NBA can become elite players, as Jalen Brunson defied all odds by becoming one of the best point guards in the league after beginning his year in Dallas, and now they'll be hoping that Nembhard can silence the doubters as well.

Nembhard's similarities to Brunson's game are undeniable, and he is bound to be a major part of winning with the Mavs needing to take a step in the right direction over the next few seasons.