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

The Dallas Mavericks made moves this offseason. They failed to land the superstar fans desired, but Dallas still managed to add Reggie Bullock and Sterling Brown to improve their shooting, wing depth, and perimeter defense. The Mavs' biggest move was agreeing to a five-year rookie max extension with superstar Luka Doncic. The 22-year-old is locked up long-term and ready to lead the Mavericks on a deep playoff run.

Dallas may not be done making moves this offseason, despite training camp opening in a few weeks. Fans continue to hear the Goran Dragic rumors, but that may not be their only deal. The Mavs have multiple players that are extension eligible with the two key names being Dorian Finney-Smith and Jalen Brunson because both become unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2022 if new deals are not reached.

The Mavs would love to keep both players, but re-signing Doe-Doe has added importance. Here is a look at a potential deal and why it is a must.

Why the Dallas Mavericks must extend Dorian Finney-Smith

Finney-Smith signed a three-year $12 million contract with the Mavs back in 2019, and he immediately outperformed that value. The 28-year-old has become a key starter and two-way threat each of the last two seasons. Dallas cannot afford to lose Doe-Doe.

The 6’7 wing is eligible for a maximum extension of four years for $55 million, according to ESPN (subscription required). That means his top-dollar value is an average of $13.75 million per season. Dallas may not have to give him the max, but Finney-Smith is worth at least $10 million a year. Giving him four additional seasons at $40 million total is a win for both sides.

Here are five reasons why the Dallas Mavericks must extend Dorian Finney-Smith.

Why Dallas Mavericks must extend Dorian Finney-Smith: 5. Floor spacing

The Mavs had five players shoot over 39 percent from 3-point range last season, which is a testament to the floor spacing and playmaking abilities of Luka Doncic. They want to spread things out and let their superstar attack. The 22-year-old led the league in time of possession and is a master at finding the open man.

No player on the team took more attempts and shot a better percentage than Finney-Smith. His 302 3-pointers were third on the team, but his 39.4 percent edged Tim Hardaway Jr’s 39.1 percent. Doe-Doe is a crucial floor spacer for the Mavericks, but none of his makes were bigger than this one from May 1 against the Washington Wizards.

The Mavs added Reggie Bullock and Sterling Brown, who both shot over 40 percent from 3-point range last season. They are embracing their identity of spacing the floor around Luka. Finney-Smith’s ability to defend multiple positions makes him a key piece of the team’s puzzle now and moving forward.

Dorian Finney-Smith has improved his 3-point percentage in each of his five NBA seasons. Do not be surprised to see him shoot north of 40 percent from long range this year, but that is far from the only reason the Mavericks need to keep him in Dallas.

Why Dallas Mavericks must extend Dorian Finney-Smith: 4. Work ethic

There may not be a harder worker on the Mavs than Finney-Smith. He undrafted out of the University of Florida in 2016 and came to Dallas on a training camp invite. Fast forward to now and the 28-year-old is a locked-in starter and crucial rotation piece for a team that has made two straight postseason appearances.

Fans have been able to see the improvement every year. As a rookie, Doe-Doe averaged just 20.3 minutes per game and shot 37.2 percent from the field. He came back in year two slightly better, despite being hampered by a knee injury that limited him to just 21 games. Finney-Smith made strides and solidified his place in the rotation in his third season. He became an above-average 3-point shooter in the 2019-2020 campaign and last season Doe-Doe vaulted into an elite floor spacer.

Finney-Smith has made steady improvement in his game across the board. He has become one of the best offensive rebounding wings in the league, and Doe-Doe is no stranger to guarding the other team’s top scorer every night.

His work ethic and constant improvement should make it easier for the Dallas Mavericks to extend him. Dorian Finney-Smith outperformed his last contract, and he is likely to do the same with his next one because he is just entering his prime and never stops getting better.

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.

Why Dallas Mavericks must extend Dorian Finney-Smith: 2. Market

The Mavs do not want to let Finney-Smith become an unrestricted free agent because it is a seller’s market in 2022. James Harden and Kyrie Irving are expected to reach extensions with the Brooklyn Nets before hitting free agency. John Wall and Russell Westbrook are likely to accept their player options with Bradley Beal’s option being an unknown. If all five of those players are off the market, Zach LaVine will be the top free agent.

Behind him, it is role players and specialists leading the market. Finney-Smith is a prime candidate to receive a lucrative contract because of his age and ability. He figures to be one of the best 3-and-D wings on the market, and every team is looking to add in that area.

It is a bit early to determine what organizations will have cap space, but according to Spotrac, 14 teams currently project to have more than $16 million in room. That could make for plenty of suitors for Dorian Finney-Smith.

The other worry is him expecting the mid-level exception like Reggie Bullock did to join the Mavericks. Finney-Smith could decide to sign with a contender and head for greener pastures if Dallas fails to extend him before the end of the 2021-2022 regular season.

Why Dallas Mavericks must extend Dorian Finney-Smith: 1. No replacement

Finney-Smith is a key piece of the Mavs roster, and they will not be able to replace him if he departs in free agency next summer. Luka Doncic’s rookie max extension kicks in meaning the Mavericks are projected to be $5 million over the cap already, and that is without an extension for Doe-Doe or Jalen Brunson.

Dallas used their bi-annual exception this summer to sign Sterling Brown, so they are likely to just have their mid-level exception in the 2022 offseason. It has no impact on re-signing Finney-Smith because they have his Bird rights, but if he departs finding a replacement will be difficult.

The Mavericks want to keep Brunson and Finney-Smith, plus add another talented player to their roster with the mid-level exception in 2022. Dallas needs to keep adding talent and depth until they can make a move for a second star to pair with Luka Doncic. Paying Dorian Finney-Smith $10 million a year for the next four gives the Mavs another trade asset if the blockbuster comes along too.

The Dallas Mavericks should be looking to swing extensions with both Doe-Doe and Brunson before training camp begins on Sept. 28. If they do not, it will be interesting to see how the organization plays having talks on new deals. Keep checking back to The Smoking Cuban for all the latest on the extensions, plus rumors, news, and analysis that fans won’t want to miss.