Mavericks' biggest offseason need is flying way too far under the radar

Guards. Guards. Guards. The Dallas Mavericks need guards! Yes, while that's true, and everyone has been talking about this nonstop, Dallas' biggest need has gone overlooked. Shooting. The Mavericks need shooting so badly that it should even trump the desire to add talented guards this offseason.

Mavericks’ inept 3-point shooting is the real offseason problem

The Mavericks ranked 26th in the NBA in 3-point percentage and 29th in 3-pointers made per game. Perhaps worst of all, Dallas finished dead last in wide-open 3-point percentage, converting just 35.0 percent of those attempts. All in all, the Mavericks just don't have many good, or even threatening, shooters.

Yet, nearly all of the discourse surrounding the NBA Draft and free agency has centered on guards. Of course, the two aren't mutually exclusive. Dallas can still add a guard who's also a good shooter, or even multiple players who fit that mold.

Why draft and free agency talk keeps circling guards

Still, the conversation has largely prioritized ball-handling over shooting, despite the Mavericks' glaring need for floor spacing.

For example, take one of the more commonly mocked-to-Dallas prospects, Mikel Brown Jr. The former Louisville guard is a terrific prospect with plenty of untapped potential as a 6-foot-4 combo guard. But he shot just 34.4 percent from beyond the arc during his freshman season.

A bevy of attempts (displaying his confidence) and a high free-throw percentage indicate Brown Jr. is a better shooter than his efficiency would suggest. Still, the Mavericks don't need another sub-35 percent 3-point shooter in the rotation.

But again, it’s not even about identifying a guard who can eventually develop into a knockdown shooter. It’s about identifying players who can step in right away and knock down threes.

Dallas must prioritize floor spacing over positional fit

Rather than focusing on a player like Kingston Flemings purely for his ability as a lead guard, more should be made of his 3-point accuracy and strong shooting indicators from his pre-draft evaluations. That’s why Flemings should be viewed as a potential Mavericks target… not because of his position, but because of what he can already do from beyond the arc.

Moreover, aside from draft needs specifically, Mavericks fan-targeted free agency discourse has overwhelmingly centered on guards. Think soon-to-be free agents Ayo Dosunmu or even Coby White. Both of whom were trade candidates ahead of February’s deadline. And while both are solid 3-point shooters, adding shooting, regardless of position, should be the priority.

For what it’s worth, the Mavericks haven’t really had a reliable floor-spacing big since Kristaps Porzingis (and even “reliable” might be generous).

Beyond the aforementioned lead guards, names like Anfernee Simons, Collin Gillespie, Luke Kennard, Dean Wade, Rui Hachimura, and Sandro Mamukelashvili all represent potential free agent targets who could immediately help address the Mavericks’ shooting woes.

While prospects like Mikel Brown Jr. or free agent targets like Coby White may sound like perfect fits in theory because they’re explosive guards, the focus should be more on shooting than anything else.

Dallas shot the ball so poorly that the offense suffered badly as a result. And beyond the sheer lack of shooting, Dallas’ best player, Cooper Flagg, also isn’t a knockdown shooter himself, further raising the urgency to add reliable floor spacers around him.

It’s a need that has seemingly been overlooked in Dallas. The reason is easy to understand. Dallas needs to revamp its backcourt. But its 3-point shooting is so porous that it should take priority over everything else.

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