Jordan Hawkins' release gives Mavericks another buy-low chance on a former lottery pick

The Dallas Mavericks have officially touched down in Macau, China, ahead of their two preseason games against the Houston Rockets this weekend, but they now have an intriguing option to consider in free agency. Dallas has one roster spot remaining, as they only have 20 players signed to their training-camp roster, and they should consider signing Jordan Hawkins after he was released by the Memphis Grizzlies over the weekend.

Hawkins was drafted with the No. 14 overall pick by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2023, but he has not lived up to all of the hype just yet. The former UConn Husky averaged a career-low 5.1 points per game last season on a struggling Pelicans squad while playing just 13.6 minutes per game.

Jordan Hawkins would give the Mavericks some needed shooting

His role and playing time shrank considerably after averaging 10.8 points per game in his second season, and Dallas should offer him a fresh start by signing him and allowing him to compete for a roster spot.

The 6-foot-5 shooting guard is a dangerous shooter off the catch, and he excels at hitting open shots as well as shots when coming off a screen. His release is smooth, and his mechanics remain sound even when moving.

Most of his impact comes from beyond the arc, but after how poorly Dallas shot last season, some more shooting would be welcome. The Mavericks shot 34.4 percent from three on 31.9 attempts per game, both ranking in the bottom five of the NBA.

Hawkins' upside as a shooter would give them another option off the bench to utilize when they need some buckets in a hurry, as he isn't afraid to let it fly off the catch or off the dribble. The 24-year-old guard has scored 20+ points 15 different times in his career, showing that he can have big scoring nights when given the volume.

The potential that caused him to get picked in the lottery is still evident, and with the Mavericks not having many true shooting guards, Hawkins could be a good option to extend a training camp invite to. Giving him a chance is the least they can do, and it would be a low-risk, high-reward move if he pops during the preseason.

Hawkins' path to a roster spot won't be easy

While it seems extremely unlikely that the Mavericks would offer him a spot on their 15-man roster, given that their depth is extremely strong, he could certainly be in conversations to secure a two-way spot if they give him a chance. Seth Lundy is already on a training-camp contract and has the chance to secure a two-way spot with a strong preseason, and Hawkins could increase the competition ahead of the regular season even more.

The Mavericks have three players signed to two-way deals right now: John Poulakidas, Jett Howard, and Tobi Lawal. While Lawal's roster spot seems safe, given that Dallas just used a second-round pick on him, bringing in Hawkins to compete with Poulakidas and Howard isn't a bad idea. All three players are known for their 3-point shooting, and Dusty May could use training camp to decide which of these players fit his future-facing vision best.

Dallas has targeted this type of move this summer multiple times

Speaking of future-facing vision, the Mavs' new front office led by Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz has made multiple moves this summer in which they buy low on a lottery pick that could benefit from a change of scenery. They traded Ryan Nembhard and a second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for the 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, and signed Jett Howard, the 11th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, to a two-way deal.

Dallas added both players for an absolute steal, and signing Hawkins to a training-camp deal would be another move that aligns with this ideology.

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