The Mavericks have spent the offseason building something that could change the tone of the entire team: a defense with real bite.
A year ago, Dallas was tied for the 11th-worst defense in the NBA by defensive rating. That’s the backdrop.
Now comes the overhaul. With Dusty May taking over as head coach and a reshaped roster around him, the Mavericks suddenly have a believable path to becoming one of the league’s better defensive teams sooner rather than later.
May’s calling card is defense, and that matters here. He won the NCAA championship last year with a team that was built on that side of the ball.
His approach leaned on pace, athleticism and versatility, with most players able to switch under screens while a true anchor protected the rim. The result was simple: opponents shot the lowest field goal percentage in college basketball.
That blueprint may be even more relevant in Dallas than it would be in most places. College concepts don’t always carry cleanly into the NBA, but the Mavericks’ new roster looks like it can actually live inside that system. They’ve got switchable wings, athletic rim protectors and perimeter defenders who can help make the whole thing work.
The biggest reason for optimism is the way the frontcourt is shaping up. Cooper Flagg, P.J.
Washington, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II give Dallas a real defensive foundation, not just one or two players trying to hold everything together. Washington is the kind of Swiss Army knife every defense wants because he can guard most positions.
Gafford is an elite rim protector. Lively has already been elite defensively in his career, especially as a switch defender in the pick-and-roll, and the next step is simply staying on the court.
If he can do that, the boost is obvious.
Flagg is only entering his second year, but the tools are already there. He has the frame, athleticism and drive to become one of the team’s best defenders.
Last season, he was elite as a help-side rim protector and averaged 2.1 stocks per game. The longer he’s in the league, the better that end of the floor should get.
Dallas also added a player who looks ready to matter immediately in Morez Johnson Jr. The Mavericks took him with the No. 9 overall pick, and his defense is already the standout part of his game.
He made the Big Ten All-Defensive team last year at Michigan under May and helped anchor the defense with Aday Mara. Johnson brings athleticism, physicality and versatility, plus strong defensive rebounding.
That combination gives him a chance to be one of the team’s best defenders right away, and having May again should only speed up his growth.
Then there’s Zaccharie Risacher, one of Dallas’ biggest offseason pickups. He arrives with a clean opportunity to settle into a role.
He came into the league projecting as a sharpshooting 3-and-D wing, though he never fully took off the way a No. 1 overall pick usually does. The Atlanta Hawks moved on after two years, and Dallas is the reset.
The Mavericks do not need Risacher to be a 25-point scorer. They need him to be a steady part of the machine.
He still has the frame and athleticism to become a strong defensive contributor, and even through his struggles in Atlanta, he posted solid steal, block and defensive rebound numbers. His length, height and quickness give him the chance to defend multiple spots, which fits neatly into May’s system.
Santi Aldama is another addition who could end up being more valuable on defense than people realize. Dallas brought him in via trade this summer, and at 7-foot he has the size to be useful in the frontcourt.
What stands out most is how smart he is on that end. He was one of the league’s best last season at drawing fouls on defense and committed some of the fewest fouls on contested shots.
He also averaged a career-high 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.
Put it all together, and the Mavericks have a real chance to flip the script. They were already carrying pieces with defensive value.
Now they’ve added a coach whose identity is built around that side of the floor and a roster that fits what he wants to do. That combination makes it realistic for Dallas to go from a bottom-10 defense to one of the league’s most dangerous units.
In Other News...
Mavericks Need More From Naji Marshall In One Crucial Area
Naji Marshall came to Dallas with a reputation as a useful two-way wing, someone who could give the Mavericks sturdy perimeter defense and enough offensive pop to keep the floor spaced. Since arriving, though, the shooting has not traveled with him in the same way it did in New Orleans, and the team is still waiting for that part of his game to settle in alongside the rest of his role.
Marshall has still shown value as a defender, including at least one steal per game in each of the last two seasons, but Dallas wants more consistency on both ends as it heads into the new year. With Kyrie Irving set to return to the lineup, the Mavericks need Marshall to be cleaner and more reliable as a spacer and to bring the kind of effort that helps hold up the wing rotation over the course of a long season. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Opening Night Lineup Suddenly Feels Much More Settled
Dereck Lively II has not yet returned to practice, and his chances of being ready for the Mavericks season opener look slim enough to narrow one of the teams biggest early questions. With the calendar moving toward opening night, Dallas is beginning to get a clearer picture of how its frontcourt will line up, and that matters for a roster still sorting out roles around the paint.
Dusty May is expected to go with Daniel Gafford at center to begin the season, a familiar move for a player who has already started games for Dallas before. The more interesting wrinkle is what comes next: Gafford is slated to take on a bigger offensive role, and that could mean a different look for the Mavericks spacing if his game stretches beyond the usual rim-running duties. [Read more 🡒]
Dereck Lively II Just Became A Bigger Long-Term Mavs Question
Dereck Lively II has become one of the more interesting long-term decisions on the Mavericks docket, with the team facing an October 19 deadline to work out a rookie-scale extension. For now, the expectation is that Dallas will keep its powder dry and take a longer look, especially with Lively still working back from foot surgery and not yet ready to return to practice.
That creates an awkward but understandable pause for a player the Mavericks still view as part of their future, but one whose health and role need more clarity before any multiyear commitment. Recent reporting has also pointed to other players from the 2023 draft class being more likely to land extensions first, which only sharpens the question hanging over Lively as Dallas weighs recovery, fit and timing. [Read more 🡒]