The Mavericks finally got what they’d been chasing all summer: a win.
Dallas knocked off the Memphis Grizzlies 96-88 on Monday night in Summer League play, and it came with a few notable twists. The Mavs were already trying to find their first victory of the summer when they learned that 9th overall pick Morez Johnson Jr. would sit with calf soreness and Ryan Nembhard would miss the game because of illness. That opened the door for Sergio De Larrea to take on a much bigger role, and he handled it.
De Larrea finished with 16 points and 12 assists, and the passing was the part that really popped. He delivered behind-the-back feeds, no-look lobs and skip passes, and even buried a step-back three to his left over Cam Boozer. He still has work to do - the physicality bothered him, the press took time to solve, and the ball can slip away from him too often - but the talent was obvious.
Dallas also leaned on its bench to get the job done. Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu, Darin Green Jr. and Jaden Springer all scored in double figures, giving the Mavericks the kind of lift they needed to stay in control.
Boozer still put up 21 points and 8 rebounds, but he had to work for it. He shot 7/17 from the field and committed three turnovers, and Dallas did a good job making him uncomfortable.
One of the more interesting developments was Vsevolod Ishchenko. The 56th overall pick wasn’t expected to be a major factor after playing in a weaker league in Russia and not producing much there, but he drew the primary defensive assignment on Boozer and held up well.
Boozer still rebounded, but he didn’t get many clean looks against Ishchenko. On the stat sheet, Ishchenko had 6 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals, but his value showed up in more ways than that.
He handled the ball, flashed a behind-the-back dribble, passed it well and made a few people miss late.
With Morez Johnson Jr. out, Tyler Smith would have seemed like the obvious replacement in the lineup, but he didn’t start and didn’t play at all. The Mavericks didn’t announce an injury for him, though he hadn’t played especially well in the first two games.
That leaves questions about how Dallas views the two-way spot he occupies, especially with names like Vsevolod Ishchenko and Moussa Cisse in the mix. There’s also the possibility that the Mavericks could move on from him soon, especially with De Larrea’s performance and Nembhard’s struggles.
Darin Green Jr. gave Dallas an immediate spark, starting 5/5 from the floor and 4/4 from three. Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu kept providing a huge target around the rim, with De Larrea simply tossing it up and letting the center go get it. Jaden Springer, meanwhile, bounced back after a rough second game on Saturday.
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Still, the league keeps finding ways to drag Irving into bigger summer speculation, and Miami has become part of that conversation again because of the LeBron James angle. James is an unrestricted free agent, has told the Lakers he does not intend to return, and the Heat are among the teams being mentioned as a possible landing spot, which is enough to keep any Irving-to-Miami chatter from fading quietly. [Read more 🡒]
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For Mavericks fans, the part that stings is less about Vogels credentials than where his career path is headed now. Golden State already locked in Steve Kerr with a multiyear extension in May, and the Warriors have also been active in reshaping the roster this offseason, so Vogel is stepping into a situation with both stability and expectations. For Dallas, it is another reminder that a coach who just helped fill an important role here will be part of a rivals plans instead. [Read more 🡒]
Masai Ujiri May Not Be Finished Reshaping The Mavericks Yet
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Even after that flurry of activity, NBA insider Chris Haynes says Ujiri is still open to another roster move if the right opportunity comes along, which is the sort of note that tends to keep the rest of the league watching. For Dallas, it suggests the reshaping may not be finished yet, and that there could still be something left up its sleeve before the roster is finally set. [Read more 🡒]