Mavericks' new-era core has the pieces to become an elite defense

Last year, the Dallas Mavericks were tied for the 11th-worst defense in the NBA by defensive rating. However, with the hiring of Michigan's Dusty May as head coach, along with a slew of roster changes, there is a realistic path for the Mavericks to become a top defensive team in the NBA in the near future.

Dusty May's identity is built around strong defense

It all starts with May and how he can be the one to instill a defensive identity within the team. He and his team won the NCAA championship last year off the back of their defense.

May's style was running a fast-paced and athletic defense where most players could switch under screens, while having an anchor protecting the rim. This resulted in holding opponents to the lowest field goal percentage in all of college basketball.

Although it's often rare that college success translates one-to-one in the NBA, May's style of defense looks more achievable when observing the Mavericks' new-look roster. They have switchable wings, athletic rim protectors, and some strong perimeter defenders.

Dallas enters the Dusty May era with a much younger and more versatile roster compared to what Jason Kidd has last season, and Morez Johnson Jr. will have the chance to make an impact immediately.

Morez Johnson Jr.'s specialty is his defense

Johnson Jr. is already coming in as a great defensive talent after being drafted by Dallas with the No. 9 overall pick.

He was a member of the Big Ten All-Defensive team last year at Michigan under May and helped anchor their defense alongside Aday Mara. Johnson also brings incredible athletic and physical ability all around the court and has great versatility. His defensive rebounding, on top of this, makes him even more appealing, and he could be one of the team's best defenders right away.

There's a lot to like about Johnson and his defensive capabilities that he can bring to the Mavericks, and having his coach from college will only help his development. He's certainly going to be a huge part of the Mavericks' defense not just for now, but for years to come.

Zaccharie Risacher can take a step defensively in Dallas

Zaccharie Risacher was one of the Mavericks' biggest offseason pickups, and with the situation he is coming into, this could be the perfect opportunity to find his role in the NBA. Coming into the league, Risacher was looking like he'd be a sharpshooting 3-and-D wing, but he never really exploded with talent like everyone thought a No. 1 overall pick would. The Atlanta Hawks gave up on him after just two years, but a new start awaits him in Dallas.

The Mavericks aren't looking for Risacher to be their 25-point-per-game star, but instead to be a solid gear in the team's engine. Risacher still has an amazing frame and athleticism for the NBA, so he can use that to become a strong defensive piece for Dallas without any added pressure; and even with his struggles in Atlanta, he maintained good steal, block, and defensive rebound numbers, all of which play into a great defense.

His length, height, and quickness give him the tools to be a versatile defender, and as long as he can hold his own and develop, he should become a good defensive piece in May's system.

Santi Aldama is an underrated defender

Santi Aldama is another player who Dallas acquired in a trade this summer, and at 7-foot, he has the tools to be a good frontcourt defender.

Where he lacks in physical defense, he makes up for it in his intelligence, as he is an incredibly smart defender. Aldama was one of the best in the league last year at drawing fouls on defense, while also committing some of the fewest fouls on contested shots. Even with this, Aldama still averaged a career-high 0.9 steals per game and blocked 0.7 shots per game.

The Mavericks already had a strong foundation defensively

While Dallas got much stronger defensively this offseason, this doesn't mean that they didn't have the tools to be elite defensively beforehand.

With Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II holding down the frontcourt, the team should be more of a cohesive defensive unit, rather than just a couple of players carrying the load.

Washington and Gafford are already great defenders and it's been seen plenty of times before.

Washington is a Swiss Army knife on defense, as he can guard most positions, while Gafford is an elite rim protector. Lively has been elite defensively for his entire career, especially as a switch defender in the pick-and-roll, and he should only get better over time. The only issue has been his ability to stay on the court, so if he can stay healthy this season, he adds a huge boost to this defense.

Flagg is only coming into his second year, but he has the frame, athleticism, and drive to be a top defender on this team. Last year, he was elite as a help-side rim protector and averaged 2.1 stocks (steals and blocks combined) per game. As time goes on, he'll only become an even better defender and player overall.

The new roster changes, on top of these Mavericks players who already have great defensive foundations, make it a realistic possibility that they can go from a bottom-10 defense to one of the most lethal units in the league.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow