Dallas Mavericks Sit High In New ESPN Power Rankings After Klay Thompson Signing

ESPN has released their new post-free agency power rankings for the NBA and the Mavericks are sitting pretty

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles the ball against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the second quarter in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

NBA free agency has mostly come and gone. There are some small signings here and there as teams fill out their last roster spots, but for the most part, rotations are set across the league. After a run to the NBA Finals and signing acquiring Klay Thompson this offseason, how do the Dallas Mavericks compare to the rest of the NBA?

ESPN has released its latest power rankings after free agency and has the Mavericks sitting fifth in the league, behind the Boston Celtics, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the New York Knicks. This is what ESPN analyst Tim McMahon said about the Mavs' offseason.

"There's little doubt that Dallas will rank among the league's elite offensive teams after recruiting all-time great shooter Klay Thompson to complement Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the NBA's highest-scoring duo last season. Will the Mavs be able to construct a good defense around that trio? That could determine if Dallas returns to the Finals. The Mavs morphed into a contender in the final 20 games of last season, during which their defense ranked No. 1 in the league. They're banking on Naji Marshall to fill Derrick Jones Jr.'s shoes and big man Dereck Lively II to continue improving after an All-Rookie season and strong playoff run."

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On top of the additions mentioned in that breakdown, they've also added Quentin Grimes in a trade with Detroit, who should give the Mavs a solid backup guard option.

The Celtics rightfully sit as the number-one team in the power rankings. They dominated the season and playoffs on their way to an NBA championship and didn't lose anybody from their rotation. Every other team is arguable. Dallas beat OKC in the Playoffs last year, but the Thunder addressed their biggest weakness by signing center Isaiah Hartenstein to help with rebounding and interior offense. Minnesota drafted two ready-to-score guards, Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr., but they're not guaranteed to be postseason contributors. The Knicks made a splashy trade to bring in Mikal Bridges and have a great starting lineup, but they're thin and injuries plagued them towards the end of last season.

It's all subjective until the season starts in late October. While Dallas' move look great on paper paired with their strong close to last season, it may take time for things to gel on the court as Thompson gets used to a new team for the first time since his rookie year.

READ MORE: Mavericks' Kyrie Irving Underwent Surgery to Repair Broken Hand

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