Mavericks' beloved veteran leader just proved why Dallas can't let him walk

With 11 games remaining in the NBA regular season, Khris Middleton has shown exactly why the Dallas Mavericks need to give him a new contract this summer. His on-court impact has been obvious, as he's averaging 11.7 points per game while shooting 39.7 percent from downtown, but his leadership has been evident as well — especially toward Cooper Flagg.

Middleton is a one-time NBA Champion, three-time NBA All-Star, and an Olympic gold medalist. He has all of the accolades that a player could want through the first 14 years of his career, and he has passed his wisdom down to Flagg over their first month and a half as teammates.

Khris Middleton's veteran leadership is top tier

Middleton was seen helping Flagg with his post fadeaway on Monday at practice with assistant coach Josh Broghamer, and this type of thing is what makes him priceless. Breaking down a move step by step for the young Flagg shows his selflessness, as well as his team-first attitude, and fans will hope to see much more of this moving forward.

This is a move that Mavericks fans have seen plenty of from Middleton, as well as Flagg, this season, and Middleton has been a dream teammate ever since he arrived in Dallas.

Having a good set of veterans around Flagg has helped him endure a challenging rookie season, and Middleton has emerged as a key member of Dallas' bunch. He and Kyrie Irving are the type of teammates every team should want as they look to build a championship contender, and if the Mavericks re-sign Middleton, their bench scoring will receive a significant boost.

Middleton solves multiple Mavericks problems at once

Middleton has scored 15 or more points six different times as a Maverick, including a 35-point game against the Memphis Grizzlies, and Dallas is going to need plenty more of this next season. The Mavericks have the No. 27-ranked offense in the NBA, and they definitely need to take a step forward in this department if they expect to make a turnaround. Their 3-point shooting is also weak, and re-signing Middleton would kill two birds with one stone by giving them exactly what they need.

His scoring off the dribble at all three levels, 3-point shooting, and leadership have all been welcomed by the Mavericks, and the interest for him to sign a new deal with Dallas this summer is mutual. Michael Finley openly said that they'd like for Middleton to return this summer, and Middleton feels the same way.

Mavericks and Middleton have mutual interest in a reunion

He was asked about a potential future in Dallas beyond this season at Mavs Ball last week, and he didn't hold back about his new home.

"For sure," Middleton said when asked if he could see himself playing for the Mavericks moving forward. "I love the city of Dallas, I’ve been here before…I’m familiar with Dallas, I love the area. As far as the organization, it’s been great. I stayed here for a reason, I like where things are headed here…I like the way they’re trying to do things here, so we’ll see what happens."

Middleton is poised to draw significant interest around the league this summer, given how well he's played in Dallas, but he at least seems open to the idea of re-signing with the Mavericks. His on-court abilities may be why most Mavs fans want him to continue to play in Dallas, but his leadership for players like Flagg can't go unnoticed either.