Dallas Mavericks rookie could join rotation sooner than predicted

After the Dallas Mavericks lost their first Summer League contest of their four-game slate in Las Vegas on Saturday evening by a score of 90-89, they will look to avenge themselves in their next game against the Memphis Grizzlies Summer League team this evening.

Dallas was led by recently signed guard Brandon Williams in their first Summer League affair versus the Jazz, as Williams’ shifty ball handling and athleticism aided in his three-level scoring effort.

Williams finished with 21 points on 7-15 shooting from the field, and he was the only Maverick that flashed true dynamism as a lead shot creator in Dallas’ first Summer League game.

Melvin Ajinca could join Mavericks' rotation as soon as next season

However, there were still promising things to take away from some of Dallas’ role players on their Summer League roster as well, most notably from Dallas’ recent No. 51 overall pick from the 2024 NBA Draft in Melvin Ajinca. Ajinca finished with 13 points on 5-13 shooting from the field in 24 minutes of play, as the 6-foot-8 wing showcased his ability to attack off of closeouts to pull-up for a mid-range jump-shot and finish with finesse at the rim on multiple occasions as well.

Ajinca also played solid defense for the most part, as he didn’t look rattled from a strength perspective when having to rotate over as the low man on opponent drives to the rim, and used his quickness well to defend wings in one-on-one situations.

Ajinca only went 1-5 from the 3-point line on the evening, but his stroke off the catch looked really fluid and you could tell that he can definitely have an efficient jumper from distance later in his career with proper time and development.

Mavericks fans should be extremely encouraged by Ajinca’s strong outing in his first Summer League appearance, especially when one takes into consideration that Mavericks’ President of Basketball Operations Nico Harrison didn’t close the door on Ajinca being draft and stashed when he was interviewed by the media following the 2024 NBA Draft.

We can only take so much from just one Summer League game, but it’s clear that Ajinca has the potential to mold himself into the perfect multi-dimensional wing for Dallas at some point, as he could be poised to be a huge steal from his draft class if he fills out his frame and works on his 3-pointer more.

Ajinca will need to continue to prove himself in Dallas’ remaining Summer League games as well as during training camp this coming fall to cement himself as a candidate to be in Dallas’ main rotation, but the Mavericks should keep a keen eye on how quickly he develops given how skilled he already is, as he could potentially help them sooner than expected.

For more on Melvin Ajinca and the Dallas Mavericks ahead of this coming season, stay tuned as we will have you covered.