Mavericks stumbled into the perfect fix for their biggest flaw

The Dallas Mavericks have been one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA, and the fix might already be sitting on their bench. The Mavericks signed John Poulakidas to a two-way deal at the beginning of March, and while he hasn't gotten much playing time in Dallas just yet, he has shown off his shooting from beyond the arc in multiple instances.

Poulakidas thrives where Dallas struggles

He has finally joined the rotation with less than five games remaining in the regular season, and he had one of the best games of his career in Dallas' game last week against the Milwaukee Bucks. The rookie sharpshooter finished with 11 points while shooting 4-9 from the field and 3-8 from downtown, showing Mavs fans why the front office gave him a chance.

His ability to knock down threes off the catch from anywhere beyond the arc is incredible, and his off-ball movement and elite basketball IQ are what make him special. He's always in the right place at the right time, and Dallas truly found something in him as they search for answers to their dreadful shooting from long range.

For the season, the Mavericks rank 28th in 3-point percentage at 34.3 and 27th in 3-point attempts per game at 31.5. Dallas doesn't just shoot threes poorly; they don't shoot enough of them either.

Despite this being a major issue for Dallas, it just happens to be one of Poulakidas' strengths. His track record in the NBA, G League, and college proves that this is no fluke.

His four-year career at Yale helped turn him into the 3-point marksman that he is today, and rival coaches and players in the Ivy League know this to be true as well. He only had two offers coming out of high school, but his four years as a Bulldog put his name on the map.

From unknown recruit to unforgettable shooter at Yale

He developed into one of the best shooters in the country by the time he was a senior, shooting 40.8 percent from beyond the arc in his final season at Yale. The 6-foot-6 shooter gave opposing teams fits when they had to play against them, as he was extremely hard to prepare for.

"It was a nightmare," an anonymous former Ivy League coach told The Smoking Cuban when asked about scouting to play against Poulakidas. "He was really, really scary to scout. He is a knockdown shooter who also has a mid-range game. He flies off screens and can create a little off the bounce for himself and others. It was a complete nightmare. Coach Jones at Yale did a terrific job running plays that made him hard to guard."

His ability to hit shots coming off screens is what made him so dangerous at the collegiate level, and Mavericks fans have already begun to see how great he is off the ball. Poulakidas seemingly always finds the open spots on the floor, and his feel for the game makes him even more lethal as a shooter.

Poulakidas pushed to become a "hired assassin" in the G League

This all started in the G League earlier this season, as Legends head coach Max Hooper helped instill confidence in him to explore all parts of his game to prepare for the rest of the year. He pushed Poulakidas not to be afraid to let it fly, and his time with the Legends allowed him to be ready when Jason Kidd would later call his number.

"The third (game with the Legends), we saw the real John," Hooper said in an interview with The Smoking Cuban. "Super aggressive, super confident, like, bordering on cocky, but that's how you want your shooters."

Poulakidas' confidence is what makes him special, as he is unfazed when defenders are closing out on him. His ability to hit tough shots is one thing that stuck out during his time at Yale, and it's ultimately what will make him a special NBA player one day.

"I want you to shoot any time you can get a shot off, because that is your value, the more shots you make, the easier it makes it for every team," Hooper said. "It's not even being selfish, just playing your role."

He shot 9.1 3-pointers per game during his time with the Legends, and Hooper's trust in him helped him prepare for the challenges of playing in the NBA.

"When you're a professional NBA 3-point shooter, you are a hired assassin, and your job is to hunt shots and understand your impact," Hooper said. "You make an impact, even if you don't get shots. And then once you start to make them, like, it opens the floodgates. Once you see a couple threes going in, it opens the floodgates...It's a pleasure to work with a shooter at that level for sure. I've really enjoyed that opportunity."

Confidence and off-ball movement make him a matchup nightmare

"He's always ready to shoot," an anonymous former Ivy League player who played against Poulakidas told The Smoking Cuban. "He has a pretty high release point, good elevation on his shot. He has good size, 6-foot-6. When he's ready to shoot, it's hard to contest it. And like I said, he's really good at making tough shots. So that's a pretty lethal combination, and he knows how to play."

Poulakidas' IQ has been one of the biggest things anyone who knows anything about his game raves about, and moving without the ball is one of the most important things about being a knockdown shooter. Mavericks fans know this well, as they've had the blessing to watch Klay Thompson over the past few seasons, and Poulakidas is strong in that same vein.

"He's not gonna just stand in one spot," the anonymous former Ivy League player said. "When that help defender turns his head, he's gonna move. He's constantly on the move, looking for angles, and he's always ready to shoot, which is super key as a shooter in the NBA. You gotta be ready to shoot, and you gotta shoot with confidence."

Why he fits perfectly next to Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving

Both former Ivy League personnel members who spoke with anonymity to The Smoking Cuban praised his ability to hit threes off the catch when coming off screens, and the Mavericks will start seeing consistent results from him if they prioritize running actions for him. He has plenty of room to grow as his rookie year comes to a close, and he's confident that he will be a solid fit in the rotation moving forward.

"I see myself fitting in great," Poulakidas said during an exclusive interview with The Smoking Cuban after a Legends game in March. "We've got a lot of talented guys on the team that I can make their lives easier with my ability to space the floor. I've garnered a lot of respect as an elite perimeter threat that I feel like I can take my guy away from the play and give guys like Cooper and Kyrie more room to operate."

He's only signed for the rest of the season, as he's on a two-way contract, but some strong performance over these final four games could make Kidd and company strongly consider bringing him back. They're going to need as much shooting as they can get around Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving next season, and Poulakidas is the type of player who has the off-ball gravity to make their lives easier.

His shooting has demanded respect everywhere he's gone, and the NBA has been no different.

"If you’re not there on the catch, he’s letting that thing go, and that (expletive)’s going in," the anonymous former Ivy League player emphatically said.

He's draining 3.3 threes per 36 minutes as a Maverick, which only trails Thompson. This shows that he will make his impact felt if given the chance, and Dallas should explore re-signing him.