6 Dallas Mavericks players whose stock has surged this preseason

The Dallas Mavericks will finally wrap up their preseason against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight, and the regular season is just seven days away.

Even though the Mavericks had the shortest offseason in the NBA along with the Boston Celtics, fans have been clamoring for more basketball ever since the NBA Finals ended. Mavs fans got a taste of NBA Finals basketball for the first time since 2011, and the excitement surrounding this year's team is as high as ever.

The Klay Thompson signing sent waves through the NBA world as Dallas added one of the greatest shooters of all time, and they addressed their point-of-attack defense by signing Naji Marshall and trading for Quentin Grimes.

6 Dallas Mavericks players whose stock has surged this preseason

The preseason is a great time to evaluate how players' games have grown over the summer, and it's the first chance to see them play before the regular season begins.

Dallas has had plenty of standouts to begin this preseason, and Jason Kidd may have some tough rotation decisions to make once Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs roll into town to begin the season next week.

6. Daniel Gafford

Daniel Gafford was the Mavs' starting center for most of the end of the regular season and into the playoff run last season, and despite it looking like Dereck Lively II will be the starter, Gafford has still been excellent.

Gafford's best game of the preseason came against the Utah Jazz, and he showed everyone why he is the perfect backup big man for the Mavs. He scored 15 points while pulling down seven rebounds and blocking three shots, and his energy is unmatched.

Gafford's dedication to putting on extra muscle this summer looks like it is already paying off, and this gives him the size to better defend down low against bigger and stronger centers. The Mavs struggled to contain Ivica Zubac in the first round of the playoffs last season due to his power in the paint, but Gafford is more prepared for bigs with his strength now.

Gafford remains one of the most efficient low-post scorers in the NBA due to his soft touch when receiving entry passes right at the rim, and he is also one of the most lethal lob threats.

Dallas has one of the best one-two punches in the NBA when it comes to Lively II and Gafford at center, and Gafford is playing great basketball ahead of the season beginning next week. His intensity and anticipation as a rim protector are excellent, and he seems locked in on doing whatever it takes to help Dallas win.

Whether that means he is starting or coming off the bench.

5. Jazian Gortman

Jazian Gortman's play has been the story of the preseason for the Mavs. Gortman entered training camp on an Exhibit 10 contract, but he is quickly proving that he deserves a spot on this roster.

Over three preseason games, Gortman is averaging 12.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 50 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from downtown. Gortman has been excellent on both ends of the floor to start the preseason, and he could end up playing himself into a two-way spot for the Mavs.

Although a bit undersized, Gortman plays much bigger than a 6-foot-2 guard. His 6-foot-9 wingspan allows him to guard up when needed, and his lateral quickness and high motor help him effectively full-court press when needed. Gortman looks like he is going to project into being a good NBA defender, and his tight on-ball defense often frustrates opposing ball handlers.

While Gortman's defense has been encouraging, his offensive game is also off to a great start. Gortman looks extremely confident letting threes fly off the catch, and he utilizes his speed beautifully while also having a good sense of what spot on the floor he wants to get to. His finishing has been great to start this preseason, and his feel for the game as a 21-year-old guard is hard to find.

He seems to always be in the right spot on both ends of the floor, and having the opportunity to learn under Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving would help his development tremendously.

Since Dante Exum is out for significant time after undergoing wrist surgery, finding a way to keep Gortman on this roster may be the safe move for Dallas.

4. Dereck Lively II

Dereck Lively II put the league on notice for the Mavs throughout the 2024 NBA Playoffs as he showed everyone that a future star in the NBA was hidden in plain sight, and he has shown that his game grew even more over the summer.

Throughout his rookie year, Lively II's offensive game was almost entirely dependent on scoring out of the pick and roll as a lob catcher. He and Luka Doncic formed a deadly tandem in the pick and roll, but he didn't show much of an ability to score after posting up or shooting jumpers (until the NBA Finals).

Through three preseason games, Lively II has shown that his offseason focus of becoming a better scorer in the paint has come to fruition. Lively II looks much more comfortable when scoring with his back to the basket, and he has sunk multiple post hooks through these first three games. His offensive numbers don't jump off the page this preseason by any means, but they should go right back up once Doncic returns.

On the other side of the floor, Lively II remains a problem for those trying to attack the paint. His 7-foot-1 frame and 7-foot-8 wingspan terrify those trying to attack the rim, and his length affects almost every shot in the paint.

He has also shown that his lob-catching abilities still remain strong with or without Doncic, and he looks ready to pick up where he left off in the NBA Finals as all signs point to him becoming the Mavs' new starting center for the 2024-25 season.

3. Quentin Grimes

When the Mavs traded for Quentin Grimes at the beginning of the offseason, some people viewed this trade as a salary dump for Dallas to get rid of Tim Hardaway Jr. After just a few preseason games, it is clear that this trade is much more than that. The hype surrounding Grimes is real, and his high level of play could force Jason Kidd's hand to play him big minutes right away.

Through three games, Grimes is averaging 11.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 50 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from downtown. Even with Grimes' 3-point percentage being down over these three games, he is proving that he can be a microwave scorer on one end and a lockdown defender on the other.

In Monday night's game against the Clippers, Grimes dropped 20 points, four rebounds, and two assists while shooting 7-11 from the field and 3-7 from downtown. His deep bag of tricks was on full display on the offensive end as he showed off his ability to hit shots off the dribble, and his ability to be a secondary playmaker was intriguing.

Grimes threw a perfect lob pass to Daniel Gafford in the pick and roll, and he typically makes the right read when attacking closeouts. He is truly much more than a 3-and-D player, and his ability to stay in front of quicker ball handlers is going to be crucial for Dallas this season.

Grimes' high-volume 3-point shooting and quick release are going to be nice luxuries to have when he shares the floor with Luka Doncic, and his diverse offensive skillset allows him to fit seamlessly into a variety of different lineups.

2. Luka Doncic

It may seem strange for a player's stock to rise without even playing in the preseason, but that is exactly what has happened when it comes to Luka Doncic. He has been out for all three preseason games so far with a calf contusion, and even with the new additions, Dallas' offense still majorly relies on Doncic.

Without Doncic or Kyrie Irving on the floor, the offense doesn't have much of a sense of direction, and so many of these new pieces' success relies on Doncic's shot creation. We saw this under a big microscope against the Clippers, as Klay Thompson struggled to create any separation and ended up shooting 0-9 from the field. Thompson will be just fine when sharing the floor with Doncic and or Irving, but even one of the greatest shooters of all time is negatively affected by Doncic's current absence.

Dereck Lively II's offensive game also hasn't been as impactful with Doncic out, as he and Doncic are one of the deadliest pick-and-roll duos in the league when fully healthy. Lively II has still caught some lobs from other players and shown growth as a low-post scorer, but he isn't the same pick-and-roll monster without Doncic.

Doncic is trending towards playing on opening night considering that he practiced fully on Wednesday, and the Mavs would hugely benefit from him staying healthy to begin the year to help get the new guys used to his playstyle.

Everyone knows that Doncic is important to what the Mavs do, and their early struggles without him are a direct reflection of that. His insane on-ball gravity is going to help get everyone open shots, and his stock will only continue to rise when it comes to his importance to Dallas.

1. Jaden Hardy

Going into training camp, one of the biggest storylines and wonders among fans was the battle for guard minutes off the bench between Spencer Dinwiddie, Dante Exum, and Jaden Hardy. After Exum went down with a wrist injury that could sideline him until 2025, the battle narrowed down to just Dinwiddie and Hardy.

Hardy has played himself into a role for next season while Dinwiddie has struggled mightily.

Through three games, Hardy is averaging 16.3 points, 5.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 40.5 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from downtown. His 3-point shooting has been deadly thus far, and this is exactly what the Mavs need from him this season. Hardy needs to be able to hit open shots off the catch, and his sweet stroke from his rookie season looks like it has returned.

Hardy's decision-making and passing look like they have grown some, helping him pick up where he left off during his emergence at the end of last year's playoffs. He likely won't ever have to be a primary initiator, but him making the right reads quickly and efficiently will be important as a secondary creator.

By the looks of how this preseason has played out, Hardy looks ready for whatever role Jason Kidd decides to give him, and he has been patiently waiting for the opportunity to be a consistent role player. There was a level of frustration when it came to Hardy's fluctuating role last season, and a good start to the season could help him cement a spot as a normal rotation player.