Mavericks' perfect route back to the NBA Finals just got revealed by the Pacers

The Indiana Pacers currently lead the Thunder 1-0 in the NBA Finals despite having the 11th-best odds to win it all originally, below first-round exits such as the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and LA Clippers. Indiana's title odds were overlooked because the Pacers lack the traditional superstar power of an NBA Finals caliber team. Stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and Jayson Tatum statistically performed at a much higher level during their Finals runs than Tyrese Halliburton and Pascal Siakam.

What enabled the Pacers to be so successful this postseason is their depth. The Pacers' playoff rotation consists of 10 players playing over 10 minutes, a significant increase from the traditional eight-man rotation. Playing with a deep rotation provides countless benefits, from increased versatility to allowing a higher level of intensity from your players.

Most teams would love to field a deep playoff rotation, but don't have the depth to do so without sacrificing the on-court product. The Dallas Mavericks, however, have both the star power and depth of the Pacers. Instead of packaging players in an aggressive trade for a more talented player, the Mavs should bet on their depth to bring them glory during the Kyrie Irving-Anthony Davis era.

Pacers exposed the secret for playoff success and the Mavs are built for it

The Mavs' star core next season will consist of Irving, Davis, and future No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. Irving will provide the offensive foundation with his electric scoring ability. Davis and Flagg will be the defensive anchors for a defense with all-time great potential next season, using their length, athleticism, and IQ to lock down the paint.

To support Flagg and Davis, the Mavs have P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II, leaving the Mavs with six proven playoff players to cover the 3-5 positions. Washington and Marshall are lockdown wing defenders with unique offensive skillsets, while Gafford and Lively II are two-way interior threats. The Mavs can also experiment with Caleb Martin and Olivier-Maxence Prosper to supplement their forward rotation.

These six players (seven including Martin) provide an elite foundation for a Mavs playoff push. Each player has their own distinct strengths and weaknesses, allowing the Mavericks to match up with any team and exploit their weaknesses.

Concerning depth, the guard positions are an area of weakness for Dallas. Mavs fans can count on Irving, Brandon Williams, and Klay Thompson to play high-level playoff basketball, but Dallas is still missing a proven combo guard to round out the team. The Mavs have two young players who could prove to fill this role in Max Christie and Jaden Hardy. Christie, in particular, is a promising prospect, but expecting the young guard to be a playoff-ready player next season is a risk the Mavs can't afford.

The Mavs can bring back Dante Exum and Spencer Dinwiddie to fill this role or look to trade one of their frontcourt options for Lonzo Ball. Of these three options, Ball is clearly the best fit and most talented, but his injury risk could backfire for the Mavs. Exum or Dinwiddie would be easy to retain, giving the Mavs their final piece if their young guards aren't ready for the biggest stage next postseason.

For the Mavs to make a finals push, they should embrace former Mavs coach Rick Carlisle's strategy in Indiana. Dallas already has a deep team, making this strategy a simple one to execute. The Mavs need a guard to complement their stars and can only afford to trade one of the frontcourt players in their projected playoff rotation. The Mavs already have the keys to success next offseason: be patient and do not destroy their greatest strength by trading away their depth.