3 absurd lineups the Dallas Mavericks should try in the 2022-23 season

The Dallas Mavericks are fresh off a run to the conference finals, but there is no guarantee they will be back. Superstar Luka Doncic will give them a shot to win every game, but the Mavs lost Jalen Brunson in free agency, and they failed to replace his ball-handling and playmaking. The front office upgraded the frontcourt, but there are plenty of questions heading into the 2022-23 season.

Dallas reached the final four in 2022 by going small and spacing the floor, which is why it was surprising they focused so heavily on frontcourt upgrades this summer. The Mavs used the majority of their mid-level exception to sign JaVale McGee, and they traded for Christian Wood to give them another floor-spacing big man. Dallas struggled on the glass in the playoffs, but were the upgrades enough to change how the Mavericks play next season?

Head coach Jason Kidd experimented plenty during his first season as Mavs head coach, and the Hall of Fame point guard will do it again. Here are three absurd lineups J-Kidd should try, and why they will work in the right matchup.

Absurd lineup Dallas Mavericks should try in 2022-23 season: 3. Going big

Upgrading the frontcourt gives head coach Jason Kidd more options. Not only can he go small as he did in the playoffs, but now the Hall of Famer can use a lineup like this.

PG: Luka Doncic

SG: Dorian Finney-Smith

SF: Maxi Kleber

PF: Christian Wood

C: JaVale McGee

Finney-Smith will start most games at power forward, but he can guard on the perimeter and is no stranger to matching up against elite scorers. Kleber gives Dallas a second strong perimeter defender in this group with Wood providing floor spacing at the four.

The opposition must play big for this unit to work, but think of a team like the Pelicans. Doe-Doe can take on C.J. McCollum with Kleber matched up on Brandon Ingram. Wood and McGee can take on Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas with Doncic left to roam against the Pelicans' worst offensive player on the floor.

On the offensive end, McGee is Luka’s pick and roll partner with Finney-Smith, Wood, and Kleber spacing the floor. They will have plenty of offense and have a chance to match up against teams playing massive lineups.