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The strength of the Dallas Mavericks 2019-20 roster

By Reid Hanson

DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 22: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball against Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers at American Airlines Center on January 22, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 22: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball against Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers at American Airlines Center on January 22, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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The Dallas Mavericks have one extremely notable strength to their roster heading into the 2019-20 NBA season and we discuss that advantage today…

There are many question marks surrounding the 2019-20 Dallas Mavericks. Not only did they add new parts to the team, but many of those new parts are largely unproven. While health and performance level has yet to be determined, there’s a certain shared characteristic that’s all but assured:

Position flexibility.

In an age where positionless basketball rules the day, the Dallas Mavericks have one of the most positionless and versatile cores in the NBA. Luka Doncic headlines this positionless cast. The 6’7 218lbs ball handler has the flexibility to play four positions on the court.

After averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6 assists as a rookie, he’s in a class by himself. Doncic is the kind of complete player who fits anywhere with anyone. While he’s seen as a primary ball-handler, he can move well enough without the ball that he can easily fit with one or more additional ball-handlers.

This type of complementary play gives Mavs’ coach Rick Carlisle a special piece to build around. On any given play, Carlisle can surprise opponents with how he deploys Doncic. The ability to play at multiple positions means the Dallas Mavericks can roll out nearly infinite lineup combinations. This can be used to gain favorable match-ups or just to get the best Mavs players on the court at the same time.

Adding to this versatility that Doncic brings is the Dallas Mavericks other superstar, Kristaps Porzingis. KP is a cross between power forward and center and will be used as such in Dallas. At 7’3″ he’s a true rim protector and with his shooting proficiency he’s a stretch big that spaces the floor in a way very few can.

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Since KP is an efficient scorer in the post, from deep, and throughout the intermediate, he can exploit opponent’s weaknesses with ease. Much like Dirk Nowitzki before him, KP is match-up nightmare for opponents.

With the Mavs two core players being so abnormally versatile, Carlisle can mix and match the lineup as he sees fit. Players like Dorian Finney-Smith, Justin Jackson, and Maxi Kleber also have position flex making them excellent complementary players for Luka and Kristaps.

We’ll be discussing the expected starting lineup in coming days, but one thing is clear – this roster is built to adapt. What we see one night is probably going to be different from what we see the next night. This especially versatile lineup allows that.

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It’s not all sunshine and rainbows in Mavs Land, but this coming season promises to be fun since we’ve given one of the best coaches in the league one of the most versatile rosters to play with.

  • Published on 07/29/2019 at 12:30 PM
  • Last updated at 07/29/2019 at 11:56 AM
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