Mavericks have another level of transition offense waiting to be unlocked

Despite boasting a bottom-five offensive rating, the Dallas Mavericks were one of the better transition teams a season ago, ranking sixth in transition points and second in transition points per possession. Yet there's still another level this team can reach in transition next season, and it comes from an area where Dallas struggled mightily this past season: forcing turnovers.

The Mavericks ranked 24th in steals and opponents' turnovers per game last season. As a result, Dallas manufactured most of its fast-break opportunities rather than creating them off turnovers.

The Mavericks weren't forcing turnovers at a high rate, unlike teams such as the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Minnesota Timberwolves, all of which forced at least 15.0 turnovers per game and also ranked among the top 10 in transition points per game.

The Dallas Mavericks have another level waiting to be unlocked

In essence, Dallas was exceptionally skilled at getting out on the break, yet it was creating these looks all by itself instead of generating them organically through turnovers or chaos.

Therefore, to unlock another level of an already elite transition attack, the answer is rather simple. Force more turnovers! But… on the other hand, the execution is not.

The Mavericks have struggled to force turnovers for quite some time, having not ranked in the top half of the association since Rick Carlisle was head coach in 2016-17. Under Jason Kidd, Dallas routinely ranked 20th or worse in the NBA in both steals and opponent turnovers.

Of course, the Mavericks are now under the watchful eye of Dusty May, who led the Michigan Wolverines to an NCAA Championship a season ago. So, Dallas may look much different this upcoming season, even with similar personnel. However, despite May's recent success at Michigan, there's little reason to expect the Mavericks to suddenly start forcing more turnovers. The Wolverines ranked 11th in the Big Ten in steals and eighth in opponents' turnovers per game.

Mavericks can manufacture more transition opportunities

That doesn't mean Dallas has to blindly hope for more turnovers. Steals can be manufactured, and there are a multitude of ways the Mavericks can become more aggressive in doing so.

For instance, Dallas ranked 25th in pick-and-roll ball-handler turnover percentage last season. So, blitzing those ball-handlers more often will put more pressure on ball-handlers to make mistakes. The Mavericks also have more than enough size and length to trap, crowd passing lanes, and create chaos defensively. They didn't do so that often a season ago, but with the right personnel in place, there's little reason they can't become more aggressive in that regard.

That's where Dallas' revamped coaching staff comes into play. May has the offensive track record to continue building on the Mavericks' transition success, but his new-look staff could help address the other side of the equation.

Willie Green's New Orleans Pelicans ranked in the top 10 in forced turnovers in three of his four full seasons as head coach, while Garrett Temple ground out an NBA career as a hard-nosed defensive ace. A shift in personnel and defensive philosophy, buoyed by Green and Temple's influence, should help Dallas create more turnovers and, in turn, more opportunities to get out and run.

Dallas already has the pieces to capitalize

The foundation is there. The Mavericks boast one of the better one-man fast breaks in Cooper Flagg, who ranked 13th league-wide in transition points per game and 7th in field goal percentage among the 38 players to record at least 4.0 transition possessions per game. Moreover, fellow holdovers Naji Marshall and Max Christie were both excellent in their transition opportunities as well.

Yet all three of the aforementioned players ranked around league average in steal percentage, demonstrating just how many more scoring opportunities are left on the table if even the best of the best improve their ability to force turnovers.

Again, it's easier said than done. Force more turnovers, and you'll score even more in transition! Yeah, just about everyone can say that. But with the Mavericks already being such a good transition team, the extra push to unlock another level is glaringly obvious. And while it won't be easy, it's entirely plausible.

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