Former Mavericks star reveals what team needs to become NBA Finals contenders

Last night, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks grabbed their 50th win of the season against the Miami Heat.

Dallas has now won 16 of their last 18 games, and the team is going on this massive win streak at the perfect time. The Mavs are showing the rest of the league that they are true contenders right now, but even the best teams in the league have big doubters.

Former Mavericks star forward Jamal Mashburn recently said that in order to be true contenders, they need to be better on the defensive end. Mashburn said this even though the Mavs are elite defensively lately, and he also revealed what the team needs to become NBA Finals contenders.

Jamal Mashburn says Mavericks need one more piece to become NBA Finals contenders

In an exclusive interview with Fadeaway World's Ishaan Bhattacharya, Mashburn revealed what he thinks the Mavs need to become NBA Finals contenders in the future. He truly doesn't think that they have what it takes this year, but his idea of what Dallas needs is thought-provoking.

Mashburn praised Jason Kidd and thinks that he is a good enough coach to lead them far into the playoffs, but he said "they're gonna have to add another piece. Doesn't necessarily have to be an all-star caliber piece, but a wing player that can create, not create his own shot, but play off those guys."

Mashburn also said that the Mavs need another wing defender, and it sounds like his point is that Dallas needs an upgrade at the smalll forward position. And he's right.

This isn't to say that Derrick Jones Jr. isn't fit to be a role player on the Mavs, especially considering how good he has been as of late, but it's clear that the three is the team's weakest position. Finding a fourth solidified starter on the wing to play next to Doncic, Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford over the summer should be high on the team's to-do list, regardless of if Jones Jr. re-signs or not.

Finding a third scorer who can play off Doncic and Irving while also being a stout defender won't be easy, but this is the type of move that could make the Mavs NBA Finals contenders or even among the favorites heading into next season. Jones Jr. and Josh Green have both started on the wing this season, but their best fit may be off the bench depending on how they finish off this season.

Jones Jr. has been outstanding on both ends as a starter, but Mashburn's doubts about Dallas' depth at wing could allude to him thinking Jones Jr. is the weak link of that starting unit.

Dallas still has a chance to make some noise in the playoffs this year and make a deep playoff run, and all signs are pointing to them playing the LA Clippers in the first round. Doncic and Irving are good enough to carry the Mavs against any team in a seven-game series, and fans are fired up to see the Mavs in the playoffs for the first time since 2022.

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