The Dallas Mavericks are on the cusp of one of the most important seasons in franchise history as they not only pass the torch to incoming standout rookie Cooper Flagg but also gear up for a potential playoff run with Kyrie Irving sidelined for much of next season. While the Mavericks do have an impressive roster considering the additions they made this season, it's still important to know that Irving could miss all of next season or at least half the year.
Even with this information in mind, the Mavericks still are in the championship mindset; however, they may be fighting an uphill battle after not making a critical trade that needed to happen. One formula many NBA teams have begun to rely on for winning championships is having a steady amount of guards on their roster, which is a problem the Mavs are currently facing.
While it's still not too late for the Mavericks to make a trade, as they will need to clear up roster space to complete the signing of Dante Exum, the Mavericks have dug themselves a hole they may not be able to get out of this coming season.
Mavericks' failure to trade for another guard will hurt them in the long run
Unlike many other contenders in the NBA, the Mavericks find themselves depleted at the guard position and, more importantly, guards who can initiate the offense. This is not to say the Mavericks don't have any guards on their roster, as they signed D'Angelo Russell in the hopes that he can turn back the clock and become an influential figure once again, but the main concern lies within the team's ball-handling depth.
By all accounts, the Mavericks are hoping to mold Flagg into a point forward who can initiate the offense, but it's hard to ask a rookie to be perfect and lead the team to an eventual playoff berth. Another factor fans are forgetting is that even when Irving does return to the floor, the Mavericks are still without an offensive initiator who can pass the ball reliably off the bench.
While all signs are pointing towards Brandon Williams having an increased role, the reality is, Williams only emerged as a viable candidate in Dallas' rotation once Irving went down. Williams will have his work cut out for him as this will be the first time in his career that he has high expectations on his shoulders, but even still, Williams' passing may not suffice for Dallas' needs.
In addition to not having a reliable offensive initiator outside of Russell, who has become much more of a shooter over the past few years, the Mavericks cannot have a player who can defend the point of attack, which is why Max Christie may have a bigger role this coming season than fans realize.
For Dallas, this may have been an avoidable problem had they traded for another guard, but as we inch closer to the regular season, it seems increasingly clear that Dallas will head into next season with a lack of guards on their roster. If the Mavericks can get off to a hot start, and Irving's recovery begins to accelerate faster than anticipated, the Mavericks may very well try and trade for another ball-handler if they truly believe they can win a championship in Flagg's rookie season.
Even still, the reality is that the Mavericks will be fighting an uphill battle all of next season if Nico Harrison refuses to allow next year to become a gap year.
