5 roster upgrades the Dallas Mavericks must make this offseason

The Dallas Mavericks have put themselves in a difficult position. Massive roster upgrades are necessary after a shocking collapse forced them to miss the postseason, but the franchise has limited assets. They are hoping to keep their top ten protected first-round pick because they know without upgrades Luka Doncic could be the next superstar to request a trade.

Priority one will be re-signing Kyrie Irving. No team gives up three draft picks and two starters for a two-month rental. Irving will be an unrestricted free agent, and the Mavs have to find a way to bring him back. That gives Kyrie the edge in the negotiation, but Dallas has no avenue to acquire a star if Irving walks.

Where do the Mavericks need to improve? How can they jump back into the playoff picture and be primed to make another run? Here are five things Dallas must acquire around Luka Doncic this offseason to put themselves back in the mix.

Roster upgrade Dallas Mavericks must make this offseason: 5. Wing depth

Trading Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie for Kyrie Irving left Dallas extremely thin on the wing. Fans may remember that the Mavericks had just six players head coach Jason Kidd trusted to play more than 25 minutes per game during their 2022 run to the Western Conference Finals. Reggie Bullock and Finney-Smith both averaged over 38 per game, which led the team.

It spoke to the Mavs' lack of wing depth. They were hoping that the return of Tim Hardaway Jr. and improvement from Josh Green would give them some depth, but the trade crushed that idea. It also made the Mavericks smaller and left them searching for a perimeter stopper.

The Dallas Mavericks need to add multiple wings this summer. They must have at least two players that are at least 6’6 and have the versatility to guard multiple positions. Having Bullock, Green, and Hardaway Jr. is a start, but Dallas needs depth and defense on the wing to get back into contention.

4. 3rd Creator

The Mavs made their run to the final four in 2022 with two ball handlers on the floor at all times. They started with just Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson before trading for Spencer Dinwiddie at the deadline. Dallas always had multiple initiators and creators on the floor, which left the defense guessing.

Doncic and Kyrie Irving are both superstars. Fans have seen that the offense no longer skips a beat when number 77 needs a rest, but adding a capable third guard still matters. First, it gives Dallas some cover when Luka and Kyrie need to miss time. Think about how key Dinwiddie was when Doncic missed the first three games of their first-round playoff series in 2022 with a calf injury. The Mavs need that piece.

They do not need a superstar or even a starter from another team. Dallas needs someone that can come in and play a quality 20 minutes as a backup point guard, who thrives in an expanded role when needed. Reggie Jackson and Dennis Schroder headline the list of free agents for this spot, but the Mavs could acquire one via trade.

Fans should expect this to be the missing piece going into the 2023-2024 season. Just like last summer, Dallas failed to add a third option when Jalen Brunson departed. The Mavericks will ride with Luka and Kyrie and regret it whenever one of them misses time.

3. Size

The Mavs were undersized before trading for Kyrie Irving, but it got worse when they moved two players with positional size and got back a 6’2 guard that struggles on the defensive end of the floor. Dallas had just one seven-footer on their roster. They had four players at 6’10, and Luka Doncic was the only other player over 6’6.

The Mavs were small all over the floor, and it contributed to Dallas grabbing the fewest rebounds this season. They pulled in 3,181 and finished 141 rebounds behind the 29th-ranked team. The Mavericks grabbed 1.7 fewer rebounds per game than the next-worst team.

Some will blame the team’s slow pace, but Dallas was last in rebound percentage and the numbers got worse after the Kyrie trade. From Feb. 8 to the end of the regular season, the Mavs grabbed just 46.5 percent of the available rebounds, which was 0.6 percent lower than their season-long output. 

The Mavs cannot be dominated on the glass again. They must add some size at every position. Getting a couple of 6’6 or bigger wings and a 6’5-plus guard would do wonders for Dallas. It would help them match up and even give them a size edge on some nights. The Dallas Mavericks also need a new starter at the position where size matters most.

2. Starting center

The Mavs attempted to upgrade at this position last summer. They signed JaVale McGee to be their starting center, but the experiment barely made it through the first week of the regular season. It quickly became clear that McGee did not fit in the team’s defensive scheme, and he fell completely out of the rotation. That opened the door for Dwight Powell to reclaim his starting gig, and he did just that.

The Mavericks must find a new starting center this offseason, and it has to be someone that fits next to Luka Doncic and can play more than 20 minutes per game. Dallas gave up way too many easy buckets, and they were dominated on the glass. The Mavs need someone that rebounds, protects the rim, blocks shots, and can be Luka’s pick-and-roll partner moving forward.

Christian Wood and Powell are both set to become free agents, and the Mavericks are not starting McGee at the five next season. Maxi Kleber is the only other current option on their roster, but the team does not want to put that kind of wear and tear on the 6’10 forward. Dallas must find a center and a difference-making one at that.

The Dallas Mavericks need two new starters this summer, and the second one will be in high demand and difficult to acquire.

1. 3-and-D wing

The Mavs made a deep postseason run with Dwight Powell as their starting center, and they were fourth in the Western Conference in February before things fell apart. After the trade, Dallas no longer had perimeter defense, which further exposed its interior flaws. Dorian Finney-Smith was the team’s best defender, and Spencer Dinwiddie had the size and athletic ability to hold his own on defense. Add in Maxi Kleber’s injury and slow return, and it became a recipe for disaster in Dallas.

First, the Mavericks need to guarantee Reggie Bullock's $10.4 million salary for next season. His perimeter defense regressed this season, but he was the only plus-option after the Kyrie trade. Dallas should be looking for a new number one, so Bullock can slide back into a more comfortable role as the second wing defender. The Mavs need a lockdown option here because Luka and Kyrie are both negatives on defense.

The Dallas Mavericks need a Dorian Finney-Smith replacement. Getting someone that is at least 6’7 with the ability to play some small ball five would be a plus. Doe-Doe’s versatility was massive, but the Mavs gambled on a superstar. That is a justifiable move, but now Dallas must replace the necessary piece that they gave up to get Kyrie.

The Dallas Mavericks are facing arguably the most important offseason in franchise history. Can they improve their roster enough to jump into title contention? How will Luka Doncic improve this summer? Stay tuned to find out.