3 starting, 3 backup, and 3 rotation center targets for Mavericks in free agency

9. Rotation - Wenyen Gabriel

The Dallas Mavericks’ defense took a step back this past season, so they should be looking to add some solid defenders to their rotation this summer, especially at the center position.

Wenyen Gabriel isn’t an elite defender in the traditional sense, meaning he won’t be able to consistently bang down low with guys like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. However, his positional versatility allows him to guard those guys at times and also get out on the perimeter.

He’s only 6-foot-9, but he’s rocking a 7-foot-1 wingspan, giving him the length to keep up with most players on the defensive end and the quickness to hold his own on the outside.

Gabriel is also a tenacious rebounder, especially for his size. He played a small but important role for the Los Angeles Lakers this past season.

He appeared in 68 games, starting two, and played 15.1 minutes per game. Gabriel averaged 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest on 59.6% shooting from the field.

The 26-year-old big man plays with a constant hustle that the Mavericks would love to have on the roster, and he would be a great rotation big man for them to target in free agency, especially considering how cheap they could potentially sign him for.