Mavericks make biggest free agency need even more pressing after NBA Draft

After drafting Morez Johnson Jr., Sergio De Larrea, Tobi Lawal, and Vsevolod Ishchenko in the 2026 NBA Draft this week, the Dallas Mavericks have made it clear that they need to go guard hunting in free agency. Many fans expected the team to target one of the star guards with the No. 9 overall pick, but that wasn't the case as they strengthened their frontcourt defense by selecting Johnson Jr.

They could've drafted Brayden Burries with the ninth pick, a strong combo guard out of Arizona, but they looked elsewhere. The draft was one of the easiest ways to bolster their backcourt, but since they didn't, Dallas' need for more guard play just got even more pressing.

Dallas still has a clear hole in their backcourt

Outside of De Larrea, each player that Dallas drafted plays inside or on the wing.

Johnson Jr. is a dominant force inside on both ends, Lawal is a power forward who is easily one of the best athletes in the draft, and Ishchenko gives them a self-creating wing with defensive upside and shooting potential. Mike Schmitz and Masai Ujiri prioritized positional size and versatility in the frontcourt during the draft, but they still need to shore up their backcourt around Kyrie Irving before anything else.

Heading into next season, Irving, Ryan Nembhard, and De Larrea are the only three point guards under contract. Nembhard's contract has a team option, which means he may not return if Dallas' new top brass doesn't opt in. De Larrea hasn't played a second of NBA basketball, and Irving will not have played in a game in nearly a year and a half when he returns for opening night in October.

That's thin depth for a team that already had poor guard play last season, making finding a guard in free agency a necessity that must be addressed quickly and diligently. They can't expect Nembhard, Irving, and De Larrea to handle all of the ball-handling responsibilities, but there's still hope for Dallas.

The Mavericks have options here

They have access to the mid-level exception ahead of free agency, which is worth about $15 million annually for up to four years. They can also use the bi-annual exception. This allows them to sign a free agent for about $5.5 million annually for up to two years.

Dallas has some financial flexibility to work with due to the Anthony Davis trade from last season, unlike previous offseasons, and there are plenty of strong potential targets they should consider.

Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton, and even Jamal Shead are some options that the Mavs should consider, with Simons and Sexton likely being a tier above Shead. Sexton brings shooting, hustle, and speed as a combo guard, while Simons is a skilled scorer who can fill out the stat sheet with his hot shooting. Both players would be good backup options to Irving. If Dallas wants more defense and playmaking, they could roll with Shead.

The Mavericks' draft certainly gave them more depth in the frontcourt, but it left them with more questions than answers in the backcourt. De Larrea has the chance to develop into a rotation player due to his shooting and playmaking, but the Mavs have to get Irving some real, proven help if they want to have a bounce-back season.

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