Mavericks find perfect Summer League opportunity for a forgotten first-rounder

When the Dallas Mavericks released their 2026 NBA Summer League roster, several names stood out immediately, including ninth-overall pick Morez Johnson Jr., 25th-overall pick Sergio De Larrea, and last season's breakout undrafted rookie Ryan Nembhard. Yet, the roster's most experienced player has largely flown under the radar. That shouldn't be the case, though, as he has the perfect opportunity to make an impact and ultimately earn a contract with Dallas.

That's Jaden Springer, a former first-round pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2021 NBA Draft. A five-star recruit in the 2020 class, Springer spent one season at Tennessee before declaring for the draft. While he hasn't found a consistent NBA role, his defensive ability could give him a legitimate path to earning a contract with Dallas or somewhere else.

Jaden Springer's stout defense fills a major Mavericks need

Springer's stats didn't leap off the page in his lone season at Tennessee, but his potential was evident enough for the Philadelphia 76ers to select the 6-foot-4 guard in the first round. That bet, however, didn't pay off, as Springer appeared in just 50 games before being traded to the Boston Celtics in 2024.

However, while Springer was a marginal NBA player for two of the Eastern Conference's better teams during his first few seasons, he starred in the G League, averaging 14.8 points per game as a rookie, 18.7 as a sophomore, and 22.5 in his third professional season.

The talent was there, but the opportunity wasn't. Still, he remained on the fringes of several NBA rosters because of one key trait: his defense.

Springer entered the NBA known as a rugged defender and has lived up to that reputation ever since. While with the Boston Celtics, reigning NBA Coach of the Year Joe Mazzulla praised Springer's defensive impact, saying, "He's just got an innate skill to impact the game with his physicality and his defense."

But Springer still hasn't found the right opportunity, spending his first few seasons with several of the league's better teams. Now, he might have finally found it by joining the Mavericks' Summer League squad.

How Jaden Springer could earn a contract with the Mavericks

Dallas isn't necessarily one of the league's bottom-dwellers, even if last season's record suggested otherwise, but what the Mavericks do lack is exactly what Springer specializes in: perimeter defense.

Aside from perimeter shooting, the Mavericks were among the association's worst teams in perimeter defense. Not a single Dallas guard ranked even league average on the defensive end. In fact, every Mavericks guard to play at least 1,000 minutes graded in just the 23rd percentile in defensive box plus/minus.

Dallas needs a perimeter defender who can use his physicality and athleticism to muck up the game, and that's exactly what Springer brings. The 23-year-old holds career averages of 2.5 steals per 36 minutes and owns a career 1.7 defensive box plus/minus. He's the type of disruptive defender the Mavericks have been missing, capable of guarding as many as three positions.

While the Mavericks' roster is nearly full, there is still an avenue for Springer to impress and ultimately earn a contract.

The Mavericks have still done little to improve their perimeter defense, giving Springer a golden opportunity to demonstrate how valuable he can be for an NBA team while still possessing the upside that made him a first-round pick.

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