The start of free agency looked quite gloomy for the Dallas Mavericks. Al-Farouq Aminu was one of the first free agents to change scenery, signing with the Portland Trail Blazers only hours into July 1. As time passed, optimal free agents were signing with teams all throughout the NBA, yet Dallas had been very silent. Lamarcus Aldridge, the Mavericks' hopeful choice, put them farther down the list of potential teams he wanted to play for. Lastly, the Mavericks' great, Tyson Chandler, left for the Phoenix Suns and shooting guard Monta Ellis signed with the Indiana Pacers, leaving the Maverick’s starting five looking nowhere close to playoff bound. Thankfully, within days of each other, Dallas successfully signed free agents Wes Matthews and DeAndre Jordan. I must admit, I was in panic mode, but with the addition of these two high profile players, the future of the Dallas Mavericks looks much brighter. So with the stressful part behind them, let us speculate what this team’s strengths and weaknesses are.
Strengths:
The Mavericks are younger now. Father time is undefeated, and by the time the 2015-16 season starts, Ellis will be 30 years old and Chandler will be 33. They are both great players, but for a guard that relies on speed and quickness, Ellis wasn’t going to be a solid long-term investment. Wes Matthews is a 28-year-old sharpshooter from deep, which means he can shoot behind that line for many years to come. He is also a top tier defender in his position, known for his remarkable basketball IQ and coachable demeanor. Additionally, Chandler is great at what he does, rebounding and blocks, but why not get a better, younger him? Well that’s what GM Donnie Nelson and Owner Mark Cuban did when acquiring DeAndre Jordan.
Not many people have paid attention, but the Dallas Mavericks did have a first round draft pick in Justin Anderson. When I saw the Mavericks pick the 19-year-old small forward from Virginia, I was shocked and a bit disappointed. I felt that Dallas needed a point guard since the NBA is such a guard driven league. Once again, I shouldn’t have questioned the Maverick’s front office, because they must have known Al-Farouq Aminu was going to leave for Portland. They went for his replacement; Anderson is athletic, lengthy, and shot the three ball at an excellent 45 percent. He will hopefully fill the void of Aminu, as well as taking up much less salary cap space. This team is younger and more athletic than past years, which should make up some ground when examining Dirk’s age.
Weaknesses:
There isn’t much to infer without seeing this team on the floor, but a few disadvantages stand out so far. If you have been watching any NBA basketball lately, then you have seen the "hack-a-shaq" method being used, which forces bad free throw shooters to step up to the line and sink two in a row. Although boring to watch, it can be effective, which is why teams were using it on Jordan all of last year. Last season, he shot a dreadful 39 percent from the charity stripe and every team in the NBA knows it. If it comes down to a close game, where possessions are valuable, Coach Rick Carlisle might be putting Jordan on the bench to avoid free throws. Secondly, Matthews suffered a torn Achilles around four months ago, which many deem a career ending injury. Luckily, there are reports that he is ahead of schedule with rehab and has had a reputation of being a healthy player. Lastly, the point guard position is lacking talent. Basketball experts like to call them floor generals because the offense usually flows through that position, much like the quarterback in football. Devin Harris will most likely be starting next season, so unless he has a break out year at the age of 32, there isn’t a lot the Mavericks can do.
Hopefully this helps you get an idea of where the Mavericks stand with the addition of their new players. Once again, with the odds stacked against them, I tip my hat to the front office in Dallas for yet another great offseason.
