Mavericks are completely ignoring a sneaky boom move from the trade deadline

One of the Dallas Mavericks' focuses heading into the All-Star break was development, according to Jason Kidd, but one of their most intriguing young prospects has only touched the floor for 11 total minutes over his first three games as a Maverick.

Second-year shooting guard AJ Johnson was sent to Dallas as part of the Anthony Davis trade, and fans haven't gotten to see as much playing time out of him as they would've liked. He has several players in front of him in the rotation, but it's time for Kidd to let him spread his wings a little bit.

The Mavericks have lost nine games in a row, and with the playoffs being out of the picture, getting these young guns some playing time should be at the top of Kidd's priority list. Dallas should be focusing on putting themselves in the best possible position to receive a favorable lottery pick to add a young star around Cooper Flagg, and playing his young players more will naturally help lead to this.

It's past time for AJ Johnson to join the rotation

Johnson's first two years in the league have not gone according to plan so far, as he is already on his third team after being drafted 23rd overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, but Dallas has to at least play him to see where he's at in his development. His length, athleticism, defense, and self-creation should make him an ideal fit next to the Mavericks' other point guards, and Kidd should definitely play him more as the season winds down over the next two months.

Johnson was someone who fans were excited about following the Davis trade, as he immediately became the second-youngest player on the roster behind Flagg. The Mavericks are now on Flagg's timeline, and Johnson fits that beautifully.

Over his first two seasons, Johnson is averaging 5.1 points and 1.7 assists per game, and he has at least shown some flashes that he can develop into a rotation player one day. His ability to get to the rim is intriguing, and his speed in the open court allows him to be dangerous in transition.

His jumper needs some work, but he was a first-round pick less than two years ago at the end of the day. With Dallas not being competitive, the Mavs have the next few months to find out if he's a long-term fit next to Flagg. They have several young players in their core with Max Christie, Dereck Lively II, Flagg, Ryan Nembhard, and Moussa Cisse, and Johnson would be a strong fit into this group if his game rounds out.

Jason Kidd has 28 games remaining to see if he likes AJ Johnson's game or not, and fans should be excited about this. It all starts with him getting more minutes, though, and the final two months of the season should give fans a glimpse into what his Mavericks future looks like.