Best snippets from Dallas Mavericks 2022 exit interviews

The Dallas Mavericks reached the conference finals for the fifth time in franchise history this season, and it took some incredible play to get there. Luka Doncic led the team to the second-best record in the NBA since Jan. 1 to climb to fourth in the conference and secure homecourt in the opening round. The Mavs won two of three games without Doncic on their way to knocking out the Utah Jazz before defeating the top-seeded Phoenix Suns to reach the conference finals.

The Golden State Warriors topped the Mavericks to reach their sixth NBA Finals in the last eight years, but Dallas proved they belonged. Had a few things gone differently, the Mavs could still be playing right now, but they lost four of five to the best team of this generation. It was an important season that saw the team take a massive leap forward.

The season officially ended on Friday with exit interviews. It was the final chance to hear from the head coach, players, and general manager before the offseason gets underway. The players will take some time off before getting back in the gym to work on their craft as the Mavericks brass attempts to improve their roster this summer.

Best snippets from Dallas Mavericks 2022 exit interviews

Head coach Jason Kidd talked about his players getting some rest after the deep playoff run before the communication about what to improve on begins. Dallas will need some internal growth coupled with roster upgrades if they plan on making it back to the Western Conference Finals or beyond next season.

The Dallas Mavericks’ exit interviews provided plenty of information and laughs. Here is a look at the best snippets from the season wrap-up.

Spencer Dinwiddie makes it clear that Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will not out dunk him

Dinwiddie suffered a partially torn ACL in December 2020, and the surgery to repair it limited him to just three games in his final season with the Brooklyn Nets. The 6’5 guard inked a new deal with the Wizards in the 2021 offseason and was ready to play in the preseason. His nine-month recovery was impressive, but a contributing factor to his early-season struggles.

The Mavericks acquired Dinwiddie in the deadline day trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Washington, and fans saw him improve as the season went on.

During his exit interview, Dinwiddie was asked about continuing his recovery and getting fully back for next season. The 6’5 guard mentioned supporters can expect to see a few more dunks before a reporter joke that Dinwiddie cannot have Luka out dunking him. He was quick to respond with the following.

"Nah. Listen, if you all want to have me back and I am fortunate enough to come back, that ain’t going to happen next year."

The 29-year-old guard said it with a smile, but Doncic did have more dunks this season. The Mavericks superstar notched seven during the regular season and eight more in the playoffs with Dinwiddie slamming in just four over his 85 total games played.

Spencer Dinwiddie should be healthier and more consistent next season as he approaches two full years removed from his ACL surgery. Expect him to remain in that sixth man role with his play improving as the Dallas Mavericks look to build on their successes.

Dallas Mavericks wing Tim Hardaway Jr. is healthy and ready to attack the offseason

Tim Hardaway Jr. began his exit interview with Theo Pinson as they discussed the impacts of the team’s bench, but things quickly shifted to a discussion of THJ’s health. He had foot surgery back in February, and the 30-year-old gave an update on his recovery.

" I’m just happy that I can go into an offseason healthy for the most part. It was gut-wrenching to go out there and sit out on the sidelines each and every day, and not be able to actually play and help the team go out there and compete on every single possession. I did the best I could with Theo and bench mob just trying to be that energy giver and not that energy drainer."

THJ continued by saying that he could be cleared for full activity within the “next month or so”. Fans should have zero worries about his availability heading into training camp. Hardaway Jr. should get a few months to work on his game before the Mavericks return to Dallas, and supporters know the 6’5 wing is one of the hardest workers on the team.

Keep an eye on social media because THJ loves to post pictures and videos from his workouts. He will be sure to let fans know that he is back in the gym improving his game.

The Dallas Mavericks missed Tim Hardaway Jr. in the playoffs as they searched for wing depth by inserting Frank Ntilikina and Josh Green into the rotation. THJ would have improved their floor spacing and provided another scoring threat. He will be hungry after being forced to watch the postseason, so expect Hardaway Jr. to come out strong at the start of next season.

Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison calls re-signing Jalen Brunson top priority

Mavs guard Jalen Brunson heads into unrestricted free agent this summer after a breakout fourth NBA season that saw him become a starter and averaged 21.6 points per game in the playoffs. The team failed to reach an extension with the 6’1 guard, but they have no plans on letting him sign elsewhere this summer.

Harrison shared the following answer about bringing back Brunson during his exit interview.

"It’s the top priority. We’ve got to figure that out. Obviously, we are not in control of it, but he’s definitely a priority. We want to re-sign him. He knows that we want him back. He’ll be a big part of our future."

Re-signing Brunson will be costly for the Mavericks. He is expected to land $20-plus million per season, which will push Dallas deep into the luxury tax. Can the Mavs outbid the rest of the league for his services? It is the top storyline of the summer for the team.

Harrison was also asked what the Mavericks need, and he pointed directly to rebounding and rim protection as the two areas they are looking to upgrade this offseason. It will be interesting to see how Dallas goes about that. Ideally, they would add a stretch big man that can protect the rim, but those are difficult to acquire.

Expect to see plenty of Jalen Brunson rumors over the next month as free agency chatter picks up. Every team would love to add him to their roster, but will the Mavericks be the one that signs him? Stay tuned to find out.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is not taking any breaks this summer

Much was made about Luka’s slow start to this season and his conditioning issues, but that should not be a problem heading into next year. Doncic plans on leading the Slovenian National Team this summer, and he revealed during his exit interview that practices start on June 15.

Slovenia has a busy slate as they play both World Cup qualifiers and EuroBasket as FIBA basketball attempts to get back on track after the year they lost to the pandemic. Doncic always wants to be available for his country, which means there is a ton of basketball on tap for the Mavericks superstar this summer.

Luka will still get some breaks. He has a little over two weeks off before they begin working out, and just like last summer, the Slovenian National Team will take a break in July before ramping back up for EuroBasket in September.

Doncic helped them win EuroBasket in 2017, and the reigning champions will be eager to defend their title against all of the best teams in Europe. Fans could see Doncic battle Boban Marjanovic if Slovenia and Serbia matchup in the tournament.

It will be a busy summer of basketball for Luka Doncic, which should keep Dallas Mavericks supporters stay busy as they get hyped for the 2022-2023 season.

Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison says Luka Doncic and Jason Kidd will be part of roster decisions

Head coach Jason Kidd loves to say that roster decisions are “above his paygrade”, but he and superstar Luka Doncic both have say in the team’s decisions, according to general manager and president of basketball operations Nico Harrison.

"I think from a leadership standpoint, you want your best player, you want your coach, you want their input. You want them involved in the decisions. That’s important."

Harrison noted there will be constant communication with Luka as the team wants to “keep him involved” in the roster decisions this offseason. Doncic will spend the majority of the summer in Slovenia, and coach Kidd noted that he plans to visit the 23-year-old star in his home country this summer.

Fans are hoping the Mavericks acquire another star player, but Harrison had a telling quote about how he views superteams.

"I don’t think it is just about having All-Stars. There’s a ton of teams, and I’m not going to waste time mentioning names, that have a bunch of All-Stars, and they’re sitting at home watching us play. You need to keep upgrading the roster, but I don’t think it is about just getting a bunch of All-Stars. I think it is about getting people that fit together and starting with Luka, people that can fit around him. That’s more important than getting All-Stars."

The Dallas Mavericks have emphasized chemistry in their new regime, and they will be looking for pieces that fit with that this summer. Would they love to land a second star? Yes, but it will have to be the right fit.

The 2021-2022 season is officially over for the Mavs. They made a surprise run to the Western Conference Finals as Luka Doncic proved he is one of the league’s best players, but an important offseason lies ahead. How can the Mavs improve the roster around their superstar? Fans will not have to wait long to find out.