ESPN’s Hoop Collective names Dallas Mavericks biggest offseason losers

The Dallas Mavericks are coming off a trip to the Western Conference Finals, but their summer did not go as planned. They wanted to keep Jalen Brunson, but the Knicks swooped in and paid him over $100 million to come to New York. Dallas has failed to find a replacement, but they did make moves to improve their roster around Luka Doncic.

The Mavs' biggest issue in the postseason was their rebounding. They lost that battle in almost every game, and Dallas was outrebounded by 154 boards over their 18 postseason contests. General manager Nico Harrison quickly traded for Christian Wood and signed JaVale McGee with their mid-level exception to sure up the frontcourt. The Mavs also moved back into the draft to select Jaden Hardy after he slipped into the second round.

ESPN’s Hoop Collective podcast did their offseason winners and losers so far on July 28, and the Mavericks were brought up as the biggest loser. Yes, they lost Brunson, but was the team’s offseason that bad?

ESPN’s Hoop Collective names Dallas Mavericks biggest offseason losers

Tim Bontemps was the lowest on the Mavericks' offseason. He brought up the team’s misevaluation of Brunson last summer and how it was a gross miscalculation by the front office to believe they could include him in a superstar trade. Bontemps was not high on the Wood trade, and he questioned the McGee signing. The ESPN analyst capped it by saying he “did not like their offseason one iota”.

Tim MacMahon brought up the Mavericks' lack of ball-handling, and the team’s baffling decision to tell Goran Dragic they did not have a role for him.

None of the ESPN scribes were high on the Mavs offseason to date, but the team is far from out of contention. Christian Wood and the return of Tim Hardaway Jr. from injury should more than makeup for Jalen Brunson’s lost scoring. JaVale McGee gives Dallas a rim protector they did not have after they traded Kristaps Porzingis to Washington.

It may be impossible to win the offseason when a team loses their second-best player for zero return, but the Dallas Mavericks did improve their roster. They still have a massive ball-handling hole, but assuming they can fill it before the trade deadline, the Mavs will be a feared team in the postseason. Dallas is not done making moves, and fans should stay tuned for what is next.