Mavericks may have unexpectedly found their new Jalen Brunson in free agency

Dallas Mavericks fans will never forget losing Jalen Brunson for nothing in the summer of 2022. Brunson and Luka Doncic had just led the Mavs to their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2011, and Brunson decided to jump ship and sign with the New York Knicks in free agency rather than remaining in Dallas and continuing to grow one of the best young backcourt duos in the league.

Since being in New York, Brunson has developed into one of the best point guards in the NBA, and fans are split when it comes to whether he would have been this dominant if he had remained in Dallas. Getting Brunson back to the Mavericks seems like an extreme long shot, but they may have signed a player who could turn into an unexpected star just like him one day, as they signed Ryan Nembhard in undrafted free agency following the 2025 NBA Draft.

Immediately after the Mavericks signed Nembhard, fans and media members alike were running to social media to praise Dallas for making this move, as he clearly should have been drafted. Through conversations with multiple Mavericks staffers, they have expressed plenty of belief in Nembhard and what he can bring to the team, and his mission to show the rest of the league that he deserved to hear his name called began in Las Vegas at NBA Summer League.

Ryan Nembhard could turn into the next Jalen Brunson

Nembhard has already proven that he is one of the steals of the summer, as he had some spectacular Summer League performances, including drilling a game-winning three against the Los Angeles Lakers off a Cooper Flagg assist, and he ultimately got shut down after three games. An undrafted player showing the coaching staff so many great signs that they ended his Summer League after just a few games shows how highly they value him, and Mavericks fans are going to learn his name quickly next season.

Since the Mavericks signed Nembhard to a two-way deal rather than a standard deal, he can only play in 50 regular-season games, but if his development progresses like it looks like it will, he will quickly outplay that contract, and the Mavs could explore bringing him on full time at some point during the middle of the regular season. Dallas did the same thing with Brandon Williams last season, as they converted his two-way deal to a standard contract right before the playoffs, and the Mavs will likely need as much guard depth as they can get as they try to ride the storm until Kyrie Irving returns.

This is why Nembhard is poised to have a real role right away, as he is already one of the best passers on the team as a rookie. Dallas needs plenty of playmaking while Irving recovers, and if Nembhard's nation-leading 344 assists isn't enough proof that he's a great passer, just wait until he is playing with elite lob threats like Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.

Like Brunson, Nembhard is someone who has been criticized for his height coming out of college, as he is only 6-foot, but he has all of the skills to become a rotation player in the NBA. Nembhard is a hard-nosed defender, incredible passer, and good leader, and he shares many of the same qualities that Brunson displayed as a Maverick at the genesis of his career.

Nembhard is also in the same boat as Brunson due to the fact that he is a 22-year-old rookie, as Brunson was 21 when he was drafted, and both players' ages likely scared other teams away. Nembhard is ready to prove the doubters wrong just like Brunson did, and the Mavericks are going to put him in a great spot to do that.

Being an undersized older guard is going to work out just fine for Nembhard in Dallas, as they are in win-now mode and will have twin towers protecting the rim at all times. Nembhard has nothing to worry about when it comes to fitting in Dallas, and if Mavs fans squint hard enough when they see Nembhard drill a mid-range jumper off the dribble, they might remember Brunson's game and the dominant start to his career he had on the Mavericks.