Ranking every move of the Dallas Mavericks' offseason so far

After missing the playoffs for the first time since Luka Doncic's rookie year last season, the Mavs had to make some moves this summer.

The construction of the team wasn't good enough to contend in the Western Conference, and Dallas had to make some moves to return to being contenders.

Dallas had a strong draft night as they drafted Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, all while shedding Davis Bertans' contract. They also traded for Richaun Holmes, giving them another center to add to the rotation.

Ranking every move of the Dallas Mavericks' offseason so far

The Mavs started off free agency with a bang as they re-signed Kyrie Irving to a three-year contract and signed Seth Curry later that night. Re-signing Irving was a necessity for Dallas, as they gave up multiple starters and draft picks to acquire him at the trade deadline last season. They couldn't lose him for nothing.

Dallas also made some other big moves as they acquired Grant Williams in a three-team trade. Williams will bring a new defensive energy to Dallas, and he has the ability to guard multiple positions and guard the other team's best player.

Another move that Dallas made to bolster their defense is signing point guard Dante Exum. He is a good perimeter defender and could see some minutes off the bench. They also re-signed center Dwight Powell to a three-year deal.

After listing a handful of the moves the Mavs made this offseason, now it's time to rank them. Here we rank each move and discuss how each move will affect the team.

9. Signing Mike Miles Jr. to a two-way contract

The Dallas Mavericks had a spectacular 2023 NBA Draft.

They started off the night by trading back into the first round to select Dereck Lively II and dump Davis Bertans' contract. Later that night, they used the traded player exception to acquire the No. 24 pick and Richaun Holmes.

They selected Olivier-Maxence Prosper with that pick, but their night didn't end there.

Within an hour or two after the draft, the Mavs made another move. They signed Mike Miles Jr. from TCU to a two-way contract. Miles Jr. averaged 15.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game in three seasons at TCU.

He played at a high level during his entire tenure at TCU and was one of the best unsigned players in this year's draft class. Although a bit undersized, Miles Jr. has the chance to be a solid NBA player.

Miles Jr. is a good scorer, has a smooth handle, and can knock down shots when he needs to. He is also an underrated finisher around the bucket and blows by defenders with ease.

Miles Jr. will likely spend most of next season in the G League due to Dallas being so guard heavy, but Dallas definitely found a gem in Miles Jr.

8. Signing Dante Exum

One of the Dallas Mavericks' least talked about signings that could end up being a big pickup is the signing of Dante Exum.

The Mavs signed Exum to a two-year, $6.1 million deal after he played two seasons overseas. Exum is a former lottery pick and has a lot to prove as he is back in the NBA.

Last season in the EuroLeague, Exum averaged 13.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 0.9 steals per game. Going to Europe for two seasons was a great move by Exum, as he struggled in the NBA early in his career.

Exum was selected with the No. 5 overall pick by the Utah Jazz in the 2014 NBA Draft but never really panned out. He averaged 5.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game during his time in the NBA and started 72 games in his career.

Exum is a good perimeter defender, and he could have a bigger role than most people expect. The Mavericks don't have many good defensive guards (other than Josh Green and Exum), and Exum could find himself with a big role as they'll need perimeter defense.

The Mavericks' guard room is crowded, but Exum could find himself in the nightly rotation as this team needs defense.

7. Re-signing Dwight Powell

The Mavericks re-signing Dwight Powell on a three-year, $12 million contract is a great value deal, regardless of the flack he is getting on social media.

Powell is a good backup big man, and what he brings to the Mavericks gets overlooked. He is a good rim roller and hustles endlessly.

Powell isn't a starting-caliber center though, and that's where this situation gets tricky. The Mavericks currently have four centers on their roster, but they are also in trade rumors for a new starting center.

Even though JaVale McGee will likely be traded or waived, what will the Mavs do with Richaun Holmes if he isn't in the trade for a new big? How would Dereck Lively II's role look with three centers in front of him?

Re-signing Powell was something that almost everyone expected, and the Mavs have him extended for three more seasons. Powell is the longest-tenured Mav by far, and it wouldn't shock me if he retires a Maverick one day.

He fits into the Mavericks' culture perfectly and is someone who is far more than a backup big. Powell constantly serves the community and cares just as much about his off-court presence as he does his on-court presence.

As almost everyone knows, Powell isn't a bad player by any means. He is just in a bad situation as he is forced to start when he should be coming off the bench.

6. Signing Seth Curry

The Mavericks signing Seth Curry was undoubtedly one of the most underrated moves of the summer.

Statistically, Curry is a top 10 three-point shooter of all time, and pairing him next to Luka Doncic is going to work wonders for the Mavericks offense. He is also on a team-friendly contract, as he is only making $4 million annually.

This is Curry's third stint with the Mavs, and we've seen him have success in his first two stints. Curry averaged 12.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 0.9 steals per game in games he played for the Mavs.

This signing was a bit questionable though, as the Mavs still haven't traded Tim Hardaway Jr. It's likely we see Hardaway Jr. traded at some point, but adding Curry into the mix puts another guard in front of Jaden Hardy.

Hardy is entering his second season and is coming off a great end to last season. With Curry and Hardaway Jr. both coming off the bench, Hardy could be the odd man out when it comes to minutes.

If Hardaway Jr. gets traded, then this won't be the case, but the signing of an undersized guard who isn't a great defender was questionable, as the Mavs already have a few of those.

Regardless, Curry will likely have a significant role on this team, and fans should be excited for him to be teaming up with Doncic once again.

5. Signing Derrick Jones Jr.

The most recent move of the Mavericks offseason came on Wednesday afternoon as they signed Derrick Jones Jr. to a one-year contract.

Jones Jr. had been a rumored target for the Mavericks over the last few weeks, and Dallas decided to sign him.

The Mavericks needed some more wing depth, and Jones Jr. gives them an athletic wing that can come into the game and hustle and play defense. Jones Jr. is also an excellent dunker and is a good finisher in transition.

Despite being a great dunker and an underrated slasher, Jones Jr.'s role on this team will likely be to play lockdown defense. His long frame and athletic ability allow him to guard multiple positions, and block shots that most players aren't able to block. He has a 7-foot wingspan and contests everything.

Another intriguing part of his game is his improved three-point shooting.

Jones Jr. shouldn't be relied upon as a knockdown three-point shooter by any means, but he shot a career-high 33.8 percent from downtown last season. He's only 26 years old, and we could see him continue to improve in that area and become a trusted three-point shooter.

Dallas signing Jones Jr. could turn out to be a great move, as Dallas needed a player with his defensive ability to come off the bench.

4. Sign and trade for Grant Williams

One sign of an excellent Mavericks offseason is the fact that the sign and trade for Grant Williams is the fourth-best move of the offseason. This move could have been a spot or two higher, but fourth seems like a good spot.

In this deal, the Mavericks gave up Reggie Bullock and an unprotected pick swap in 2030, but they got Williams and two second-round picks in return. Dallas gaining multiple seconds in this deal was crucial, as they were desperate to land some.

Williams brings much-needed physicality and intensity on defense and will likely start at power forward for the Mavs.

Last season for Boston, Williams averaged 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game and shot 39.5 percent from three. He will be a great floor spacer to add to the mix and give Dallas some more defensive versatility.

Another thing about Williams that makes this deal even better is his playoff experience. Williams has played in 61 playoff games during his career and has started in five. He also has experience playing in the NBA Finals.

Losing Bullock in this trade could hurt more than expected, as Dallas is thin when it comes to defensive-minded guards, but Williams' overall defense should help relieve some pressure off the Dallas guards.

3. Drafting Dereck Lively II and trading away Davis Bertans

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was asked what Dallas' biggest need was this offseason just a few hours before the draft. His response was "a center that can protect the rim."

Dallas hadn't had a true center that could protect the rim in many years, but draft night changed that as they made a move to trade back two spots and draft their center of the future.

Dallas traded the draft rights to Cason Wallace and Davis Bertans for the draft rights to Dereck Lively II and a traded player exception. In better terms, Dallas traded back two spots and dumped Bertans to draft Lively II and gain a traded player exception.

This move was massive for Dallas as they finally landed a rim protector and did so while dumping an awful contract. Lively II has already shown his ability to protect the rim (in Summer League) and seems like he'll fit great next to Luka Doncic.

He disrupts everything in the paint and is a great communicator on defense. Lively II is also a great help-side shot blocker and has good defensive instincts.

Dallas later used the traded player exception gained from this trade to trade back into the draft and take a player who could make an immediate impact on this team. They also gained a center that has the chance to start.

2. Drafting Olivier-Maxence Prosper and trading for Richaun Holmes

As mentioned before, the trade the Mavericks made to draft Dereck Lively II was much bigger than that.

They used the traded player exception from the trade to get back into the first round. They sent the Sacramento Kings the traded player exception in exchange for the No. 24 overall pick (which the Kings used to draft Prosper on Dallas' behalf) and Richaun Holmes. This move freed up cap space for the Kings while the Mavs landed a defensive wing in Prosper and center depth in Holmes.

Last season, Prosper averaged 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game at Marquette. He will likely be a part of the rotation right away, and he was impressive during the NBA Summer League.

Although his shot looked shaky, his defense and ability to put the ball on the floor are excellent. He moves well for a player of his size and can switch effectively on defense.

Holmes, on the other hand, could end up being the "most underrated pickup of the summer," as proclaimed by Mark Cuban. He didn't play much last season for the Kings, but that's because he was playing behind Domantas Sabonis.

In the 2020-21 season, Holmes averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. If Dallas can have him playing anywhere close to that level, they'll be in a great spot.

1. Re-signing Kyrie Irving

As constantly mentioned, the Mavs' No. 1 priority this summer was re-signing Kyrie Irving.

Dallas gave up too much at the trade deadline last season for this to turn into a 20-game rental. Irving re-signed on a three-year contract with a player option after the second season. This locks up Irving as Luka Doncic's co-star for the next two years at least.

Irving played great in Dallas last season as he averaged 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He also showed his ability to close out games at a high level, as his performance always seems to go to the next level during the fourth quarter.

Despite Irving's play, the Mavericks struggled after trading for him. They plummeted in the standings and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-19 season. That is the last thing that fans expected, but Irving and Doncic have the chance to contend for the playoffs this season.

Each of the previously listed moves should help the Mavs return to the playoffs, and Irving's fit next to many of these players will be fun to watch. Seth Curry will be a great shooter to space the floor, Grant Williams will help defensively, and both rookies give the Mavs young depth.

Dallas made the right move by re-signing Irving, and they will hopefully contend for a title next season.