Mavericks just signaled they'll unleash their forgotten hidden gem at perfect time

With the hustle of NBA free agency slowing down, the Dallas Mavericks have made a number of moves to improve themselves from last season. To begin the offseason, the Mavericks added Cooper Flagg in the draft and D'Angelo Russell through free agency, while also re-signing Dante Exum in a move that will likely require a trade to clear up a roster spot for him.

With this in mind, Dallas has begun to shift its focus to the NBA Summer League and what some of the young players Dallas acquired through and after the draft can bring to the team through this two-week span. Many names will have a shot at cracking Dallas' last two-way spot on the roster, but with the Mavericks bringing back Melvin Ajinca, he will have a good shot at staying in Dallas this season.

Many fans forget, but the Mavericks traded up into the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft to pick Melvin Ajinca, who would eventually be assigned back overseas to continue his development. Since entering his name into the draft, teams understood the French forward would be a project-type player; however, now could be the perfect time for Ajinca to have a breakout offseason and join the Mavericks.

Mavericks tease unleashing Melvin Ajinca this summer

With less than a week left before the Summer League tips off between the Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers next Thursday, the Mavs have shifted their focus to creating their Summer League roster. After recent photos were posted of an offseason workout at the Mavericks' practice facility, Ajinca can be seen working on his game, which is a good indicator that he will be joining the team on their trip to Las Vegas.

Many fans will recall that Ajinca had an impressive first few games in the Summer League last year before dipping off in production, which is likely the reason he was re-assigned to the French league last season. As a draft-and-stash, Ajinca had a few impressive outings in the EuroLeague, but failed to take the huge year two leap many fans expected him to.

By no means was Ajinca a disappointment, but in 27 games played, Ajinca averaged 5.4 points per game while shooting 42.7 percent from behind the three-point line. With Dallas' current need for a point-of-attack defender, Ajinca will have a close eye on him; however, there needs to be a clear leap in his offensive game before any fan is ready to call Ajinca pro-ready.

At 6-foot-7, Ajinca has the perfect frame to be a stout defender at just about any position on the floor, but his offensive game has been his biggest setback. Being paired alongside Ryan Nembhard and Flagg, he will have the perfect opportunity to get wide-open shots, and he must be ready to let it fly while playing lockdown defense on the other end if he wishes to impress Dallas coaches enough to get a legitimate shot at cracking the Mavericks' roster this coming season.

If Ajinca can impress in this year's Summer League, especially alongside Flagg, there's a good chance he could be the front-runner to receive the Mavericks' last two-way roster spot. Not only would Ajinca be a stout defender off the bench, but there's hope he can be a rotational staple alongside Flagg and a younger Mavericks roster in the future.