Unexpected wrinkle causing 'doubt' Mavericks fulfill main offseason priority

Less than two weeks ago, the Dallas Mavericks' 2023-24 season ended disappointingly as they lost to the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals.

Dallas impressed everyone with a Game 4 blowout win, but it was clear that Boston had the Mavs outclassed. They were better in all facets of the game, and Dallas' lack of shooting and not having a third scorer hurt them badly.

Now, Dallas enters the offseason with a desire to improve their shooting, and they have the chance to make a huge splash for one of the greatest shooters of all time, Klay Thompson. Dallas has been interested in Thompson since the middle of the NBA Playoffs as they were linked to him as a potential suitor, and he would form an elite big three with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

While landing Thompson could make Dallas the team to beat once again in the Western Conference, the Mavs are focused on a different move as well.

Derrick Jones Jr. switching agents causing 'doubt' Mavericks will re-sign him

At the beginning of this offseason, Mavs GM Nico Harrison stated that re-signing Derrick Jones Jr. was the team's No. 1 priority. Despite the mutual interest in a reunion and Jones Jr. openly stating that he wanted to be back during the NBA Finals, there seems to be some uncertainty creeping into the Jones Jr. free agency.

According to Tim Cato of The Athletic, "it casts doubt upon the likelihood he’ll return to Dallas (subscription required), league sources say, which had previously been seen as a mutually desired scenario." Here, Cato is talking about Jones Jr. abruptly switching agents and joining Klutch Sports and the complications that come with that around the time of free agency.

Cato then brought up that players who are looking to switch agencies have to wait 15 days before signing with a different agency. Jones Jr.'s decision to switch agencies, according to a league source who spoke with Cato, happened on Wednesday.

This "could potentially mean Jones would not have representation for teams to negotiate with until July 11, when Klutch would be permitted to take him on as a client." That is not what Mavs fans necessarily wanted to hear when it comes to them trying to knock out their biggest offseason priority (which since has been triumphed by the desire for them to land Thompson), but this situation does complicate things.

The Mavs and Jones Jr. could use Jones Jr.'s old agent, Aaron Turner, at the beginning of negotiations to help this strange situation, but things seem complicated on this front.

For all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks and their negotations with free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr., stay tuned.