The Dallas Mavericks are in the midst of a two-game winning streak after defeating the LA Clippers on the second night of a home-and-home series and the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. With both wins coming in blowout fashion, the Mavericks look more than ready for their Christmas Day showdown against the Minnesota Timberwolves later today,
While the Mavericks have found a solid rhythm over the last 29 games, the team still has plenty of lineup questions regarding the bench. It's no secret the Mavericks are one of the deepest squads in the NBA but there is still a clear need for a backup power forward.
The team has been in a couple of trade rumors recently including being linked to Jimmy Butler, but they still have yet to address their need for a backup four. While it would be easy for the Mavs to get a player from another team, the Mavericks could have an answer to their need for a backup forward who's on their roster now, and he has been proving this all year long.
Prosper is developing two key skills to earn a consistent role
When the Mavericks drafted Olivier-Maxence Prosper with the 24th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, he was selected for his defensive upside and ability to develop an outside shot. As year two of Prosper's career has tipped off, he has showcased a completely different skill set compared to year one.
During his rookie season, Prosper was often sent to the G League where he would play for large portions with the Texas Legends. In year two, Prosper has had the time to not only work on his game but also get consistent minutes on an NBA floor.
While Prosper's role isn't what it needs to be yet, he has shown Jason Kidd he has what it takes to take over the backup four spot.
Two knacks Prosper has had throughout his career have been his inability to control himself on either end of the floor and his lack of perimeter shooting. Two months into his second year, Prosper has shown he can knock down the three ball consistently and not allow himself to get out of control on the defensive end of the floor.
In addition to his offensive shooting, Prosper has shown he can pass up good shots to set his teammates up for better shots. Often, Prosper has had a contested look at the basket that he would've regularly taken last year, only to pass it up for a better look at the basket.
Throughout his career, Prosper has gotten himself into bad situations due to his over-aggressive defensive style. While this can be a good attribute for a young player, Prosper has had to learn how to tone down his energy when guarding in space.
Despite this, Prosper still has yet to crack constant rotational minutes in Jason Kidd's rotation. While it may be easy for fans to point fingers and say Prosper has been better than Maxi Kleber, he still has to prove he can consistently be a knockdown shooter and stable defender on the opposite end.
Over the last 10 games, Prosper has seen Kidd increase his role which has directly affected his 3-point percentage positively. Prosper has shot the three ball at a 40 percent rate in these games, which has ranked him as one of the team's best shooters over that stretch.
Prosper still has a lot to work on before he can become a perineal power forward around the league, but he has shown the ability to work on his game over an NBA season and it's time he gets a consistent role off the Mavericks bench. He has been in and out of Kidd's rotation at times over the first two years of his young career, and it may finally be time for him to play on a nightly basis.
