Dallas Basketball

Mavericks' Free Agency Additions Will Revolutionize Offense

The three major players added to the roster provide a ton in terms of fixing what plagued last year's team.

Keenan Womack

Jan 29, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) dribbles the ball against Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the second quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 29, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) dribbles the ball against Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the second quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
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Last season, the Dallas Mavericks lost in the NBA Finals 4-1 to the Boston Celtics for a myriad of reasons. For one, Jayson Tatum's elite versatility on defense forced Luka Doncic into uncomfortable decisions out of the pick-and-roll, unable to simply pick apart coverages as he was able to against other teams. Boston also had no respect for the pick-and-pop that Dallas ran with forwards Derrick Jones Jr. and P.J. Washington, as they shot a combined 26.5% from beyond the arc.

It was important, to say the least, that the Mavericks address this issue in the offseason, something they did thrice over by signing three good-to-elite catch-and-shoot players in Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, and Quentin Grimes. On top of this, all three of these players have pedigree on the defensive perimeter, another problem Dallas faced in this Finals when guarding Jaylen Brown and the aforementioned Tatum.

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These acquisitions are important because all three should be beneficiaries of the "Luka Bump," a.k.a. the increase in open looks they will get due to the Doncic's gravity. Even as the lead initiator, Doncic is such a threat to score that no matter where he is on the floor, he will be the primary focus of the defense.

This comes to fruition in many forms, including blitzing the pick-and-roll, double-teaming on isolations, and sending defenders on hard closeouts due to his ability to shoot the three off the bounce. These defensive strategies all come at a cost to the defending team: there will be an open look, whether it be a weak side three just a skip pass away, or a lob at the rim.

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His distribution ability is evident in his outrageous 44.3% assist rate, which correlates to his proclivity for scoring off the dribble. The fact is, the previously mentioned additions to the Mavericks in Thompson, Marshall, and Grimes will all see increases in open looks from their previous destinations all for different reasons.

Thompson will be able to screen for Doncic (and for Kyrie Irving) in multiple offensive sets, resulting in wing-to-guard pick-and-pops, while Grimes and Marshall will play more complimentary roles off the ball. It's likely the Mavericks engage in more off-ball screening in general with these new pieces, creating an offense that isn't so reliant on dribble penetration and can flow more freely

In creating a new offensive system, the numbers may not reflect a significantly better outcome in points per shot or offensive rating, but that is not the point. The primary function of doing this is to be better equipped to play against a team like Boston and force them to take pick-and-pop actions seriously in order to create lanes to drive to the basket.

These three players could have that effect immediately.

READ MORE: Mavericks' Luka Doncic Among Other NBA Stars For 'Groundbreaking' Jordan Brand China Tour

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Keenan Womack

KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.

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