Mavericks free agency: DPOY candidate floated as 'dream target'

This past season was a complete failure for the Dallas Mavericks, as they failed to even qualify for the Play-In Tournament. Now, their sights should be set on righting the ship and getting back on track.

With Luka Doncic at the helm, the Mavericks should always be a playoff team. Barring a season-long injury, which didn’t occur last season, they should never miss the playoffs.

And while they did just that this past year, the addition of Kyrie Irving should help moving forward, should they retain him. The star duo of Doncic and Irving may just need time to grow.

But while those two stars are elite, the Mavericks will need to surround them with more help if they hope to effectively compete in the loaded Western Conference.

According to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report, the Mavericks’ biggest need in free agency this offseason is a center. He suggested a few options, but the most intriguing idea was Milwaukee Bucks big man Brook Lopez.

The 35-year-old center is fresh off a season where he finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting, making him a prime candidate to help solve Dallas’ defensive issues. That being said, he may be more of a dream target than a realistic one.

"Lopez would be the dream target, an elite defensive center who made 37.9 percent of his threes this season and has 78 playoff starts under his belt. When he says no, Reid and Williams would serve as potential starters instead."

- Greg Swartz, Bleacher Report

Heading into the offseason, Lopez is set to be one of, if not the best center in free agency, making him a hot commodity. And if the Mavericks decide to bring back Irving, which they almost certainly will look to do, they could be priced out of signing Lopez.

However, if they could find a way to bring the veteran big man on board, it would be the perfect marriage.

With Doncic and Irving at the helm, Lopez would have just two jobs - protect the paint and nail three-point shots - both of which he has been doing for years in Milwaukee.

At 35 years old, there’s a chance that last season was the best of the rest of Lopez’s career, but even if he played half as well as he did last year, he would still be the best center in Dallas by a mile.

The Mavericks had a revolving door of centers this past season, so gaining some stability at that position should be a priority this offseason. Running things back with the likes of Dwight Powell, JaVale McGee, and others isn’t an option.

Dallas needs a reliable center that can start every single night and be a regular part of the closing rotation. Lopez can be that guy (if they managed to sign him).