ESPN drops brutal Mavericks truth fans won't want to accept

Heading into tonight's game with the Indiana Pacers, the Dallas Mavericks sit at 1-3 with a desperate need for another win to avoid falling into a 1-4 hole. This opening home stand was supposed to be a way for Dallas to get off to a hot start, but instead, their offensive shortcomings have been holding them back.

And ESPN agrees.

In a recent episode of "The Hoop Collective" podcast, Tim MacMahon dove into the Mavericks' offensive problems, listing their ball handling, shooting, and playmaking being three of their biggest issues. He also dove into the Mavericks' need to run in transition and get to the free-throw line, as their half-court offense isn't as smooth or effective as it needs to be.

ESPN calls out Mavericks' rough offensive reality

"It's going to be a struggle for this team offensively," MacMahon said earlier this week before Dallas took on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The brutal truth of the matter is that the Mavericks' offense isn't going to be good enough as currently constructed to contend for a title this season, and fans are going to have to accept that. Dallas is walking a tricky tightrope of trying to contend for a title right now while also needing to develop Cooper Flagg's game, and those things don't mix in terms of the Mavs pushing for a championship this season, especially with Kyrie Irving being out indefinitely.

Irving's return is expected at some point this season, but putting immense pressure on his shoulders to revive Dallas' offense after being out for around a year with an ACL tear is a recipe for disaster, as they can't afford to expect him to be their savior. The Mavericks will undoubtedly be a better offensive unit when Irving is back in the lineup, but they just signed him to a three-year contract, and the bigger picture in Dallas stretches far beyond this season.

Irving is going to be a major help, as he'll immediately be the best shot creator on the team, but those around him have to step up as well in terms of creating shots for those around them and creating advantages. Dallas has shown a step in the right direction in this area due to paint touches and strong drives from Naji Marshall and even Max Christie, but they're going to need much more of this if they want to turn their season around.

D'Angelo Russell has been a breath of fresh air for the Mavericks recently, despite a rough start to the season, and he'll be crucial for Dallas until Irving returns to organize the offense and be a high-level passer. The Mavs' offense noticeably runs smoother when Russell is on the court, as he has some of the best vision on the team and can be trusted by Jason Kidd to bring the ball up the floor without turning the ball over, and Kidd should definitely consider placing him in the starting lineup to help the offense.

The Mavericks currently have the 30th-ranked offense in the NBA, scoring just 103.8 points per 100 possessions over the first four games, and Russell starting could be a clear answer to these shortcomings.

For the time being, Kidd seems set on starting Flagg at point guard, and while this is an excellent play for his long-term development, it may not result in a ton of wins in the short term. His backcourt running mate, Klay Thompson, is off to one of the roughest starts to a season of his career, and it could be argued that this is due to the players around him not generating enough open shots for him.

Thompson was brought to Dallas to play alongside Luka Doncic, one of the greatest shot creators ever, and he is being left out to dry a bit by his teammates not creating the best looks for him. His shot selection could definitely improve, especially inside the arc, but Kidd should definitely explore pairing him with Russell more often to help him get rolling.

Thompson has only played 21 minutes with Russell this season, which could be one of the reasons that he hasn't been getting good looks, but the defensive struggles of this group could be what forces Kidd to pair Russell with Christie much more (50 minutes) than he pairs Russell with Thompson.

ESPN is 100 percent right about the Mavs' lack of shooting, playmaking, and ball handling, and Irving's return alone isn't going to be enough to save them. Every single player on the roster has to step up if they'd like to regain some respect and become a powerhouse in the Western Conference.