Mavericks' Sergio De Larrea selection fixes glaring flaw that last season exposed

The Dallas Mavericks kicked off the week by starting a new era of basketball. They signed Michigan's Dusty May to become the next head coach, as his resume makes him the ideal candidate to turn things around. Dallas, then, drafted May's former player Morez Johnson Jr. to help stabilize the frontcourt. The move that may be the best, though, was the three-team draft trade with the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns at the end of the first round.

This helped Dallas acquire Sergio De Larrea from Spain. The six-foot-6 guard is an excellent acquisition to help improve the Mavs' backcourt. He can easily come in and solve one of Dallas' major flaws last season. The team desperately lacked a true backup guard to play behind Kyrie Irving as he recovered from his ACL tear. Their new jumbo-sized guard is the perfect man for the job.

Dallas' backcourt took a major hit last season without Irving

Irving missed the entire 2025-26 season. This put Dallas in a huge hole, as they lacked a playmaker who could lead the offense and make Cooper Flagg's life easier. The team went through a series of point guards, but they struggled to take the lead and provide instant offense for a team lacking their star guard.

Before the season, Dallas signed veteran D'Angelo Russell, as Nico Harrison believed he could stabilize the offense during Irving's absence. The signing, though, was a failed experiment. Russell struggled, showing signs of inconsistency and falling out of Jason Kidd's rotation. Not to mention, his defense was a big concern, lacking energy and effort. His failures would lead to him being traded, as part of the Anthony Davis trade.

Young guards Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard even tried to solve the guard issues mentioned, but they faced major hurdles. Williams is a fast-paced guard who isn't afraid to score inside. However, he isn't a distributor who can space the floor. Nembhard, though, was very passive, and his physical limitations began to be a defensive liability. Neither player is a starting-caliber player, but De Larrea has the tools to grow into a lead guard one day.

At the beginning of the season, Kidd even tried to let Flagg take over the point guard duties. The 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year was not ready for this huge ask. He never played a traditional guard role in college. He admitted to this being a challenge. It was obvious Flagg needs a clear facilitator to help lead the way alongside him, showing he works better whenever he isn't the primary ball handler.

So, it's highly possible Dallas' new rookie Sergio De Larrea can solve the team's guard play, an issue the Mavs couldn't overcome last season with Irving sidelined.

De Larrea offers an excellent solution to the Mavs' poor guard play

Dallas' newest draft prospect Sergio De Larrea fixes a major flaw from last season. As mentioned, the Mavs' backcourt took a hit with Irving out for the season. His absence exposed Dallas' lack of a true backup guard to help lead the offense. This is something their newest rookie from Spain should be able to solve.

De Larrea is a big guard with plenty of experience and playmaking. He has been playing professional basketball in Europe since he was 17, making his resume similar to Luka Doncic before he entered the NBA in 2018. The 20-year-old recently won the Spanish Super MVP in 2025. It's likely the Mavericks found their guard of the future.

One thing that stands out is his deadly shooting. Last season, he averaged 9.7 points per game and shot 40.7 percent from the 3-point line for Valencia in the Liga ACB. While his numbers may not be jaw-dropping, it doesn't hinder the fact that he is a high-IQ floor general who can easily control the game and set the pace.

He has great handles and can easily manipulate defenses with his pacing and vision. He is a wonderful floor general, averaging high assist numbers. De Larrea lets the game come to him, and he should be a huge bonus for a team looking to solve its point guard issues.

So, the newest Mav has everything the team is looking for. He is a crafty playmaker with size, length, and shooting. It's easy to see why Dallas traded up for him, and he will have big shoes to fill in a backcourt searching for answers.

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