Mavericks' sleeper signing has the juice to finally fix their abysmal shooting

The Mavericks may have finally fixed their 3-point shooting with John Poulakidas.

Noah Weber

Dallas Mavericks, Jason Kidd / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks' 3-point shooting, among many other things, is a major reason that they fourth-worst team in the Western Conference, and they just took a major step in the right direction to solve this issue by signing John Poulakidas. Dallas signed Poulakidas to a two-way deal over the weekend, and Mavs fans' jaws will hit the floor when they see the type of production that he's been putting out in the G League.

In 24 games for the San Diego Clippers, the undrafted rookie averaged 14.7 points per game while shooting 47.3 percent from downtown on 8.5 attempts per game. This type of efficinecy on extremely high volume is unheard of, and he should have the chance to make an impact immediately for a squad that desperately needs shooting.

Mavericks' desperation for 3-point shooting leads them to Poulakidas

Dallas is currently 28th in the NBA in 3-point percentage at 34.2 and 28th in 3-pointers attempted per game at 31.2. Not only are the Mavericks not converting 3-pointers, but they also aren't shooting enough of them.

It's extremely hard to win in today's NBA with suspect long-range shooting, and Poulakidas should help them get back on track in this department if Jason Kidd gives him a chance. The Mavericks need any and all of the help that they can get when it comes to 3-point shooting, and fans could get their first look at the team's new sharpshooter at some point this week.

Dallas kicks off a six-game road trip tonight against the Charlotte Hornets, and Poulakidas, along with their other two-way signing Tyler Smith, both made the trip. The Mavericks could get a good look at both of them with how injured they are, and all eyes will be on Poulakidas due to his other-worldly shooting that he displayed in the G League before signing with Dallas.

Why John Poulakidas can make a major impact in Dallas

He is lethal off the catch, and his ability to knock down threes when coming off screens should allow Kidd to use him in a variety of ways. Poulakidas will also have the chance to learn from one of the greatest movement shooters in NBA history, Klay Thompson, and his knockdown shooting should give the Mavs a much-needed boost in an area they have struggled in all season long.

Thompson and Max Christie are the only two players on the roster averaging over 1.2 made threes per game for Dallas, showing how desperate they were to add 3-point shooting. Trading for Khris Middleton at least helped in this department, but the Mavericks obviously knew that they needed another 3-point marksman on the roster to finish the season.

At worst, Poulakidas struggles to find time for the Mavericks and proves to be a one-year project. At best, he develops into someone who finds a role in Kidd's rotation over the final 22 games of the season, and Dallas signs him to another two-way or a standard deal after this season.

Poulakidas just happens to give the Mavericks what they need most, and their desperation for floor spacers could make him someone that stickss around beyond this season.

Noah Weber

Noah Weber is the Site Expert for The Smoking Cuban, covering the Dallas Mavericks as a credentialed media member since the 2022-23 season. With a Bachelor of Science in Sports Media from Oklahoma State University, Noah has worked in sports journalism since 2019. While he's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma State Cowboys, he has now established himself as a go-to voice for Mavericks coverage. Noah's expertise includes in-depth game analysis, social media content creation, and offering unique perspectives through his reporting. His work has been featured on major platforms such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Overtime. During his time at Oklahoma State, Noah won first place in the Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association Awards for a show he co-produced. Outside of covering the Mavs, Noah enjoys working out, playing basketball and Spikeball, and spending quality time with friends and family.