Mavericks' Anthony Davis trade sleeper pickup is fixing Dallas' longtime flaw

The Dallas Mavericks' center rotation has struggled with 3-point shooting for years now, but this longtime weakness is being fixed by an unexpected hero, Marvin Bagley III.

Neither Dereck Lively II nor Daniel Gafford is a floor spacer, but Bagley III has been showcasing his shooting since arriving in Dallas in the Anthony Davis trade. Bagley III is shooting over 45 percent from three this season (despite shooting just 0.6 threes per game this season) after going 2-2 from downtown against the LA Clippers last night, and the Mavericks need to lean into this more often.

The final 11 games of this season should fully prioritize Cooper Flagg's development, along with figuring out who they'd like to keep in free agency, and Jason Kidd should experiment with Bagley III and his role as much as possible. He was expected to be just an expiring contract after being acquired in the Davis trade, but he has been much more than that.

Dallas needs to lean into Bagley III's floor spacing more often

Floor spacing has been one of their biggest weaknesses all season long, and the numbers clearly show this. Dallas is shooting 34.3 percent from 3-point range on the season, which ranks 27th in the NBA. On top of this, they aren't taking enough threes. The Mavericks only shoot 31.3 3-pointers per game, which is in the bottom four in the NBA.

This is a recipe for disaster when it comes to winning in today's NBA, and something has to change.

Dallas has to start shooting and making more threes if they want to win in the Cooper Flagg era beginning next season, and keeping Bagley III around would be a good start to that goal.

Why the Mavericks need to re-sign Marvin Bagley III

He will become a free agent after this season, and with Dallas needing much more shooting around their rookie prodigy, Bagley III fits exactly what they need. He also seems to fit the culture that the Mavericks are trying to build on and off the court, as he plays as hard as anyone and puts the team first.

Whether it's crashing the offensive glass, providing energy off the bench, or rolling hard to the rim, Bagley III has the intangibles that you want from your backup center. His efficient 3-point shooting is the cherry on top.

Bagley III is shooting 50 percent from downtown on 0.9 attempts per game as a Maverick, and this would be the most threes he's shot per game for a season since the 2022-23 season if this number stuck for the entire year. Not being afraid to shoot open looks makes life easier for everyone else on the court, as it forces his defender to guard him outside. This then creates more driving lanes for his teammates without having to worry about a rim protector waiting for them in the paint.

He gives the Mavericks a unique look at the five due to his ability to take and make open threes, and this is something that Jason Kidd is looking for in him moving forward. Kidd said that Dallas would like for Bagley III to shoot at least two 3-pointers per game, and complimented him for shooting these shots in the flow of the offense rather than forcing them.

Kidd is pushing Bagley III into a bigger role

It's easy to get in your head and force bad shots when the coaching staff is pushing a player to shoot a higher volume, but Bagley III has maintained a good shot diet.

"That gives us another weapon of someone who can create or knock down a three for us," Kidd said on Saturday night.

Bagley III has tackled this assignment from his head coach head-on since arriving in Dallas, and his 3-point volume has definitely risen as of late. He has made four threes over the last four games combined, and if the Mavericks bring him back, they'll finally have a true center that they feel good about taking open shots.

If this version of Bagley III is sustainable, the Mavericks have suddenly begun to fix a problem that's held them back for years.