Ranking Dallas Mavericks contracts from bargain to nightmare

We are in the home stretch of the NBA season, and there is plenty to be excited about if you're a Dallas Mavericks fan.

The team has won their last three games, and Luka Doncic is playing at an all-time level. He seems to be breaking a new record every month, and his offensive dominance is unbelievable.

Both of Dallas' new trade acquisitions are also fitting in nicely, with Daniel Gafford chasing a record of his own. P.J. Washington has turned into Dallas' best perimeter defender, and he is starting to get into a groove on offense as well.

Ranking Dallas Mavericks contracts from bargain to nightmare

The playoffs will be here before we know it, and hopefully, Luka, Kyrie Irving, and the Mavs are still playing. They could be a team that is fighting for a spot in the Play-In Tournament, but you can't count out Doncic in the playoffs. No matter who he is playing against.

Here we will dive into every Dallas Mavericks player's contract, and rank them from bargain to nightmare.

15. Luka Doncic

When you have a player who has the potential to be an all-time great in the NBA on your team, any amount of money that you pay them is considered a bargain.

This season for Dallas, Luka Doncic is averaging 34.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 38 percent from downtown. He is having an MVP-caliber season in front of our eyes and puts on a show every time he puts on a Mavs jersey.

Doncic is under contract for three more years after this season but has a player option after the second year. He is in year one of a five-year, $215 million contract extension, and that is a massive bargain for the production the Mavs get out of Doncic every game.

He has a 73-point game this season, and if he keeps playing like this and staying healthy, Doncic will become one of the highest-paid players in the NBA soon.

14. Dereck Lively II

When the Dallas Mavericks drafted Dereck Lively II with the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, no one knew exactly how good he would be. He was an amazing shot-blocker while at Duke and had decent rebounding numbers, but he only averaged about five points per game.

His offensive game was raw, but his talent as a lob catcher and shot-blocker were off the charts. Dallas took a chance on him, and he has been elite in his rookie season so far.

This season for Dallas, Lively II is averaging 8.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting an impressive 74.3 percent from the field. At the beginning of the season, Lively II was mainly just a lob catcher, but now his offensive game is starting to develop more.

Lively II has added an over-the-shoulder hook shot to his bag, and he has shown flashes that he can score out of the short roll by putting the ball on the floor. This was something that Lively II didn't do much early on, but he looks good in the short roll due to his passing and leaping abilities.

Lively II is in year one of his four-year, $22.3 million rookie deal, and that is a bargain for the impact he makes on both ends of the floor.

13. Dante Exum

When the Dallas Mavericks signed Dante Exum over the summer, no one knew what to expect.

Exum had been out of the NBA for multiple seasons, and when he was in the NBA he was an average point guard who can never stay healthy. Those who doubted Dallas' signing of Exum are looking foolish now, and he has quickly become one of the most important players for the team off the bench.

This season for Dallas, Exum is averaging 8.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 0.5 steals per game while shooting 56.2 percent from the field and 48.6 percent from downtown. These shooting numbers are almost unheard of for a point guard, and the revolution of his 3-point shot overseas has helped his player development tremendously.

Exum is in year one of a two-year, $6.2 million deal with Dallas, and next year the money is not fully guaranteed. If everyone in the NBA knew how great he would be for Dallas, everyone would have been pursuing him on the open market.

Exum most recently showed his high value as a closer in Dallas' clutch win over the Miami Heat last week. He finished with 13 points in this game, hit several big shots down the stretch, and went perfect from the free-throw line.

Exum's value to Dallas is undeniable, and keeping him healthy over the next month is essential for the Mavs.

12. Derrick Jones Jr.

One of the Dallas Mavericks' most underrated signings of the summer was when they signed Derrick Jones Jr. to a veteran's minimum one-year deal. The Mavs needed more wing depth and defense, and that's what Jones Jr. provided right away.

Jones Jr. started the season as a starter, then lost his starting spot to Josh Green, and now has been starting again. This season for the Mavs, Jones Jr. is averaging 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from 3-point range. Jones Jr. started on a tear from downtown, but his numbers have come back down since.

The Mavs are at their best when Jones Jr. is hitting his shots, and if he can return to shooting the ball the way he did at the start of the year, the Mavs will be dangerous in the playoffs. Luka Doncic creates some of the most open looks in the NBA, and Jones Jr. just needs to cash those in at a higher clip.

It'll be interesting to see how Jones Jr. finishes out the season this year, and he is quietly one of the Mavs' x-factors. His defense has been elite at points of this season, and he loves guarding the other team's best player.

11. P.J. Washington

The Dallas Mavericks made a massive splash at the 2024 NBA trade deadline when they traded Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and a 2027 first-round pick for P.J. Washington and a second-round pick. The 2027 first-round pick is an asset that they were hesitant to move over the summer, and they used it to land their now best defender in Washington.

So far as a Maverick, Washington is averaging 11.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 29.9 percent from downtown. Washington has proved to be a reliable option on offense, and although he has been streaky as a Maverick, he is deadly when he plays with confidence and his jumper is falling. He also likes to shoot floaters and occasionally will back down defenders and try to shoot turnarounds from around the bucket.

Last summer, Washington signed a three-year, $46.5 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets, and this is an extremely team-friendly deal for the Mavs. Washington will be making just over $14 million during the 2025-26 season, and he hasn't even reached his prime yet.

Washington's two-way ability combined with his motivation to be great while playing for his hometown Mavericks makes this contract an excellent one. The Mavs won't ever have to worry about dumping this contract, and this contract is very moveable if Dallas ever decides to take that route.

10. A.J. Lawson

Right after the trade deadline, the Dallas Mavericks had an open roster spot. They had traded Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and Richaun Holmes while acquiring P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. Fans speculated how the team would use this open roster spot, and they pursued Spencer Dinwiddie before he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

It seemed like Dallas was set on signing a third ball handler with this open roster spot, but they went a completely different direction and signed formerly two-way wing A.J. Lawson to a four-year, $7.9 million contract. This is great value for Lawson as he has proved his value and showcased his potential plenty of times.

This season for the Mavs, Lawson is averaging 3.6 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from downtown. Lawson hasn't received much playing time this season, but that is his main goal right now as he wants to be in the rotation.

Lawson has the defense, shooting, and energy to be a rotation piece on this team, but minutes are tough to come by. He may never be the type of player that is playing on a nightly basis, but his contract is at great value to where it won't matter one way or another.

Lawson has the skill to be a rotation player in the NBA, but will Jason Kidd ever give him a chance?

9. Jaden Hardy

The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a major steal in the 2022 NBA Draft when they traded into the second round to select Jaden Hardy. Some NBA scouts had some doubts about Hardy, but he quickly showed everyone that he should have been a first-round pick.

This season for Dallas, Hardy is averaging 7.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.3 steals per game while shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from downtown. Hardy had an outstanding stretch of basketball about a month ago, but since has been removed from the rotation despite proving that he can make a big impact for this team off the bench.

Even though it has only been in garbage time as of late, Hardy makes the most of his minutes every time he steps into the game. After this season, he has one more year on his rookie deal (three years, $4.8 million) before becoming a restricted free agent.

This is great value for a player of Hardy's value, but it could be tough to retain him after next season. A rebuilding team could bet on his potential and pay him enough money to where Dallas can't match. It also wouldn't make sense for Dallas to pay him, especially if Jason Kidd doesn't play him, but that could change as Tim Hardaway Jr.'s contract expires at the same time as Hardy's.

8. Kyrie Irving

When the Dallas Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving during the middle of last season, they did so with the intent of re-signing him last summer. There was no point in trading for Irving if they thought they couldn't re-sign him, and they got a deal done on the first night of free agency last summer.

Dallas signed Irving to a three-year, $126 million contract, which is good value for a top point guard in the NBA. $40 million annually for Luka Doncic's co-star is a great number, and now Irving just has to stay healthy. Health has been an issue for Irving throughout his career, and it was a problem for Irving at the beginning of this season.

If Irving can play 70+ games over the next few seasons, the Mavs will be in good shape. Dallas is a completely different team when both Irving and Doncic are healthy, and without Irving, this team has nowhere near as much firepower. His ability to take over the game at any given moment is phenomenal, and no one else on the team outside of Doncic can do that.

Irving is under contract for this season and two more seasons, but has a player option after next season. He seems to love playing in Dallas and his teammates love him, but only time will tell if Irving will be a Maverick long-term.

7. Daniel Gafford

As of late, Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford is showing why the Mavs gave up a first-round pick when they traded for him at the trade deadline.

This season for the Mavs, Gafford is averaging 10.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 0.6 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 76.6 percent from the floor. He has been Dallas' starting center over the last three games, and this could be a lineup that they roll with for the rest of the season.

As a starter, Gafford is averaging 15 points, 9.6 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting over 80 percent from the field. He has been a monster as a starter and is currently chasing Wilt Chamberlain's record of 35 consecutive made field goals without a miss.

Gafford is in year one of a three-year, $40 million deal, and that is outstanding value for a player of his caliber. He and Dereck Lively II are Dallas' center duo of the future, and fans should be excited about what they are seeing from Gafford.

One of the only ways that this contract could become bad is if Gafford can't play heavy minutes in the playoffs. We've seen Gafford ride the bench for games due to bad matchups, and having him on the bench during the most crucial part of the season is not ideal.

He just needs to improve a bit as a defender in space, and he'll be golden.

6. Olivier-Maxence Prosper

Dallas Mavericks rookie forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper isn't on a bad contract by any means, but it's hard to rank a player who is on a rookie deal who has hardly played this season. Prosper is on a four-year, $13.9 million contract, and the sky is the limit for the young forward.

This season for the Mavs, Prosper is averaging 2.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists while shooting 35.1 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from behind the 3-point line. Prosper has struggled in his limited minutes in the NBA, but his potential is intriguing.

Prosper's size, defense, versatility, and athleticism are all strengths of his, and these are some of the characteristics of an elite 3-and-D wing. His energy is always high, and he is an excellent teammate. Prosper's offense has been poor and he doesn't look comfortable on that end of the floor yet, but his time spent in the G League could work wonders for his player development.

Fans saw how much playing for the Texas Legends helped Jaden Hardy last year, and Prosper could have a similar rise if he gets the chance to play. It seems very unlikely that Prosper will be in Jason Kidd's rotation this season, but things could change next season if he continues to develop at a high rate.

5. Josh Green

The Dallas Mavericks extended Josh Green's contract before the season started, and he is under contract until the end of the 2026-27 season when he will become an unrestricted free agent. This contract extension was for three years and $41 million, which is about $13.6 annually. This is a good number for Green, but he has yet to prove that he can be consistent.

Every time that Green has a good stretch, he goes back to being inconsistent and unreliable a few games later. Green became the starting wing next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving for a while, but Jason Kidd has opted to start Derrick Jones Jr. lately.

While Green brings the most hustle of anyone on the team, his defense has been suspect as of late. Green isn't as good of a point-of-attack defender as expected, and he hasn't been the stopper that the Mavs need next to Irving and Doncic. That is likely why Kidd is starting Jones Jr. now, and some fans may be a bit nervous that Dallas has Green under contract long-term.

The Mavs could easily trade Green to a young rebuilding team if they ever wanted to get rid of him, and there was interest in him at the trade deadline, so no one should be worried about his contract becoming a burden. The potential is there for Green, but will he flourish into an everyday starter or crumble into an average role player?

4. Markieff Morris

Markieff Morris is on a one-year veteran's minimum contract that he signed with the Dallas Mavericks over the summer, and although he doesn't play much, he makes a big impact in a different way.

Multiple players, including Luka Doncic and Daniel Gafford, have spoken highly of Morris' leadership this season. He gave a speech after one of Dallas' home losses last week, and Doncic even noted that "we all should listen to him."

This season for Dallas, Morris is averaging 2.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game while shooting 36.5 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from downtown. He had a small role earlier in the season when the team was battling injuries, but now he just plays in garbage time.

Morris is the oldest player on the team at 34 years old, and the Mavs needed some more veteran leadership after last season. He came to Dallas as part of the Kyrie Irving trade, and the Mavs must have liked what they saw, so they signed him to a one-year deal.

The Mavs could have definitely signed someone better than Morris with their final roster spot, but his value as a leader is invaluable. Every team needs a good veteran leader, and this is exactly what the Mavs have in Morris.

3. Maxi Kleber

After the Dallas Mavericks' 2022 NBA Playoffs run, they decided to give forward Maxi Kleber a three-year, $33 million contract extension. Kleber was massive for Dallas in the playoffs, as he averaged 8.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 43.6 percent from downtown.

Kleber hit timely shots, was great on defense, and was one of the Mavs' x-factors off the bench in this playoff run. He was indubitably worth the money that Dallas paid him at the time, but there have been clear signs of regression for Kleber over the last two seasons.

Last season, Kleber tore his hamstring and never came back the same. Even at the beginning of this season, Kleber did not look like the same player and had no desire to protect the rim. Kleber then missed significant time with a dislocated toe, but his play has been better lately.

Kleber is the type of player whose impact doesn't appear on the stat sheet because he does all of the little things, but having a 32-year-old under contract for two more seasons after this one when he is regressing is not ideal.

Kleber or Tim Hardaway Jr.'s contract would likely be used if the Mavs needed to salary match in a trade this summer, but don't expect him to have much value on the open market if the Mavs do go that route.

2. Dwight Powell

Although Dwight Powell took a pay cut to stay with the Dallas Mavericks over the summer, $4 million annually for the next two seasons with a player option after next season is not ideal for a third-string center. Powell went from being the starter to only playing in garbage time in the span of a year, but Powell's impact stretches far beyond the hardwood.

This season for the Mavs, Powell is averaging 3.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game while shooting 69.4 percent from the field. Powell's role has diminished completely since the Mavs traded for Daniel Gafford, but his leadership and good vibes are always there.

Powell is always the first one to get off the bench to high-five his teammates and always has good energy. He has never complained about his fluctuating role and does tons of community work in the city of Dallas.

It's not easy to go from being a rotation player to never playing, and Powell has done this while being a great teammate through it all. Powell's $4 million annually likely wouldn't be too hard to trade, but he would have to be moved into the right situation for him to become a rotation player again.

There are definitely worse contracts around the league, and $4 million for Powell was good value at the time of the signing.

1. Tim Hardaway Jr.

Tim Hardaway Jr. is the most puzzling player on the Dallas Mavericks, and his contract has been a nightmare over the last couple of seasons. Dallas has tried to move him several times, but they have never been able to get a deal done. Hardaway Jr. didn't even know if he'd be back with Dallas this year.

Hardaway is in year three of a four-year extension he signed with Dallas, and he makes an average of $18.75 million per year on this deal. That is not ideal money for a streaky sixth man who can't defend, and Hardaway Jr. is in the middle of the roughest stretch of his entire tenure with the Mavs.

Hardaway Jr. has averaged 9.3 points per game while shooting 31 percent from downtown in his last 10 games, and his minutes have decreased significantly. He went from being a key piece to someone who many Mavs fans want to be benched, and he will be even harder to trade this summer (if Dallas shops him) since he has been playing so poorly.

It helps that his contract expires after next season, but even then, he has to prove that he has some value. Shooting slumps don't last forever, but Hardaway Jr. is running out of time to get back on the right track.

For all the latest on Tim Hardaway Jr. and the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.