Mavericks: Why they must agree to an extension with Dorian Finney-Smith

Why Dallas Mavericks must extend Dorian Finney-Smith: 3. Defense

The six players that Finney-Smith matched up against the most when he was on defense last season were Brandon Ingram, Russell Westbrook, Jayson Tatum, Chris Paul, DeMar DeRozan, and Damian Lillard. He is no stranger to guarding at the point of attacking and taking on the toughest assignment.

The Mavs lightened his workload this season by adding Reggie Bullock. The 6’6 wing is a strong perimeter defender that can also match up on the league’s best at the point of attack. New head coach Jason Kidd will have options on who takes that matchup.

Finney-Smith is one of the most underrated players in the NBA, and his defense plays a massive role in that. The 6’7 forward can guard all five positions. That versatility and ability to switch improves any defense. The opportunity to use him on secondary and tertiary options this season should help his advanced metrics improve. There is no question that Doe-Doe gets it done on the defensive end.

It will be interesting to see what defensive scheme new Mavs head coach Jason Kidd employs this season. He was extremely aggressive on that end of the floor during his time in Milwaukee, but the league caught on by the end of his tenure. Will Kidd amp up Dallas’s defensive pressure? Either way, Dorian Finney-Smith should be one of their best options this season and needs to be a key piece of their unit moving forward.