Rob Dillingham has suddenly become a name worth watching for the Dallas Mavericks as they sort through the final pieces of their roster.
When Dallas first unveiled its training camp group last week, the big takeaway was simple: there was room left. Even with Dwight Powell already under contract, the Mavericks still had two open roster spots to work with. One of those openings was filled over the weekend when the team signed Seth Lundy, and now the last spot could be the one that brings in a little more intrigue.
That’s where Dillingham comes in. The former lottery pick was waived by the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, and he now looks like a player Dallas should at least kick the tires on.
The Mavericks’ roster is largely settled, but in today’s NBA, having extra swings at the plate matters. If you have 21 roster spots for training camp, you might as well use them.
Leave no page unturned.
The fit starts with a simple need: guard depth. Dallas enters the 2026-27 season with Sergio De Larrea and Marcus Sasser as the only point guards behind Kyrie Irving.
That makes another ball handler more than a luxury. It makes one feel necessary.
Dillingham would not walk into a guaranteed job, but he would give the Mavericks another option in a backcourt that could use some insurance.
There’s also a path for him to compete for a two-way deal. Right now, Dallas has Tobi Lawal, John Poulakidas, and Jett Howard on two-way contracts.
Lawal brings length, athleticism, and a high-flying style as a forward, while Howard and Poulakidas are both known for their shooting. The Mavericks have already added plenty of shooting this offseason, and at some point the overlap could matter.
Dallas does not have a point guard in that group, and if the team wants emergency depth behind Irving, De Larrea, and Sasser, Dillingham would be a low-risk, high-reward swing.
The appeal is easy to see on the floor. Last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Chicago Bulls, Dillingham averaged 6.3 points, 2.2 assists, and 0.7 steals per game.
He’s a strong ball handler and self-creator, the kind of guard who can manufacture offense when a possession breaks down. Dallas could use more of that kind of instant offense.
His speed and handle help him get downhill and finish at the rim, and he can pass out of those drives, too. He likes to push the pace in transition, and with Dusty May wanting to play fast, that trait would fit cleanly. Dillingham’s quickness and shifty style have been part of his profile for a while, and his burst in the open court would give the Mavericks a young guard with real energy behind Irving.
There’s also the organizational angle. Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz have already taken multiple swings this summer on players who were highly regarded coming out of the draft but have not fully found their footing yet. Dallas traded for Zaccharie Risacher and signed Howard, and Dillingham would fit that same kind of bet if the team decides to make one more move.
He would not be guaranteed anything if the Mavericks brought him in. But with a roster spot still available, he’s exactly the kind of player worth considering.
In Other News...
Mavericks Camp Suddenly Has One Big Santi Aldama Question
Training camp has already brought a fresh layer of uncertainty for the Mavericks, and it starts with Santi Aldama. The big man has been limited as he works his way back from an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee in March, leaving Dallas to manage his involvement day by day while the medical staff controls how much he can do on the floor.
Dusty May has been careful not to force the issue, but he has made clear what Aldama could add once hes fully available: a versatile center who can help stretch defenses and open up lineup options. That kind of fit matters for a team also sorting out roles around Daniel Gafford, rookie Morez Johnson Jr. and the rest of camp, which is why Aldamas status has quickly become one of the more important things to watch as camp moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Bring Back Dwight Powell And Now A Tough Call Awaits
Dwight Powell is officially back in Dallas, adding another familiar veteran presence to a roster that already looks full on paper. The Mavericks have been working to keep him in the fold, and league sources say the commitment to bring him back comes with the expectation that the front office will keep looking for ways to make it work.
For now, the issue is less about Powells fit than the mechanics of fitting him in. Dallas already has a crowded standard-contract situation, so the next move will have to come from somewhere else on the roster, and that leaves the Mavericks weighing a decision they would probably rather avoid this late in the summer. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Rookies Already Face Two Very Different Early Tests
One rookie is easing back into the mix while another is already in the middle of a long adjustment project. Morez Johnson Jr., the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, has been limited in practice because of left calf soreness, though he is close to returning to full participation. For a Mavericks team trying to sort out roles and rhythm early, his availability matters, especially with the club pushing a faster pace this season.
Sergio De Larrea, taken No. 25, has taken a different path so far. The guard has been leaning on veteran Santi Aldama and assistant coach Willie Green as he learns how NBA defenses are treating him and works to sharpen the finer points of his game, all while adjusting to a tempo that fits with his EuroLeague background. The two rookies are facing very different early tests, but both are part of the same larger question for Dallas: how quickly can this class start looking ready? [Read more 🡒]