Mavericks' perfect fix to their deepening shooting problem is hiding in plain sight

The Dallas Mavericks' offense took a major dip this season, as the team struggled to find consistency. They relied heavily on Cooper Flagg to carry the slack with Kyrie Irving out for the season. Yet, his offensive surge during his rookie year wasn't enough to solve the Mavs' shooting woes.

Dallas ranked near the bottom of the league in multiple shooting categories, and it quickly became obvious that they needed a solution. Help, though, is already on the way.

The Mavs have the perfect solution to their poor 3-point shooting with Irving set to return from his ACL tear. His arrival should spark the Dallas offense and help make life easier for shooters like Klay Thompson, someone who shouldn't be traded, and Khris Middleton, a player the team needs to bring back in free agency.

Dallas' 3-point issues are too prominent to ignore

Last season, the Mavericks struggled heavily to shoot the ball from long range. The team lacked outside shooting, as they were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league. Dallas had the fifth-worst 3-point shooting percentage, as they made 34.4 percent of their 3-point attempts. Their best shooter was Marvin Bagley III, who made 48.5 percent on his long-range shots as a Maverick.

Their shooting issues can be attributed to a variety of things. For starters, Dallas ranked 29th in makes (10.6 per game) and 28th in attempts (31.2). It was an issue that became too pressing for the team, as it caused the offense to become extremely stagnant at times. The team was unable to keep up with teams that shot 3-pointers at a high rate.

It was so problematic that not even Flagg could save the team. The burden that the rookie carried took a toll on his shooting confidence, something outlined in his outside shot. His 3-point shooting became his kryptonite, as he shot 29.5 percent from long range. In March, he struggled mightily from downtown, shooting 18.2 percent from beyond the 3-point line.

The Mavs, though, can solve Flagg and the team's issues by finding another primary distributor outside of Irving and equipping the roster with more primary shooters.

Mavericks have a clear solution staring right at them

Dallas' shooting woes are too persistent to ignore. However, the team has the perfect solution to the issue. Let Kyrie Irving run the offense and keep Klay Thompson and Khris Middleton on the roster.

One thing the team lacked this season was a primary distributor who could create open attempts for his teammates. Irving is the perfect guy for the job. He can easily carry the offense and use his ball-handling skills to create open attempts for teammates. Irving is an all-star caliber player who can easily make things better for those around him, which is why he worked so well with Luka Doncic.

His presence alone won't solve the team's shooting woes. Dallas will need to equip the roster with more knockdown shooters. This is why the team can't trade Klay Thompson. The NBA veteran is still one of the top 3-point guards in the league. Last season, he knocked down 38.3 percent of his long-range attempts, proving he can still shoot at a high level.

It's also why the Mavs will need to bring back Khris Middleton. The former all-star played well in 29 games for Dallas. He averaged 10 points per game and shot 39.1 percent from the 3-point line. His fast start helped elevate the Mavs' offense, as his presence is something fans want to see again. Especially, since he should come at a cheap rate.

Again, the Mavericks have a plan in place to solve their 3-point issues. It all starts with players coming back healthy and Dallas retaining their core from this past season.

Fans must hope Irving returns to his old form for things to go as planned.

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