3 Biggest Weaknesses the Mavericks Still Need to Address for 2023-24
These are the three biggest weakness that the Dallas Mavericks still need to address for the 2023-24 NBA season.
The Mavericks had high hopes last season after reaching the 2021-22 Western Conference Finals. Unfortunately, a second-half collapse caused Dallas to miss the playoffs, leaving the team in a position to regroup this offseason.
General manager Nico Harrison did a good job at shaking up the roster over the summer, adding notable names like Grant Williams and Seth Curry while bringing in rookies bursting with potential like Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper.
Having said that, moves that look good on paper don't always translate to perfect on-court results. The Mavericks' lineup still has some weaknesses that must be taken care of if a deep postseason run is the ultimate goal.
Here are the three biggest weakness that the Mavs still need to address for the 2023-24 NBA season.
Mavericks Biggest Weaknesses
1. Lack of Playmaking
Having reliable playmaking is crucial to putting up points in today's NBA. While the Mavericks have gifted passers like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on the roster, that didn't stop them from averaging the third-fewest assists per game (22.9) last season.
Dallas did add a few guards in free agency, but that still doesn't move the playmaking needle. Curry only averaged 1.8 APG last season while Exum hasn't played an NBA contest in over two years.
The truth is that making the playoffs because increasingly tough if a team can't pass the ball well. That's why seven of the bottom 10 teams when it came to assists per game missed the 2022-23 postseason.
Even if Doncic and Irving have career years from a playmaking perspective, it's clear that more depth is needed behind them. There are a few available free-agent point guards worth exploring, but the Mavericks must act quickly before they're snatched up.
If Dallas can't address its playmaking woes, fans better gear up for another series of headaches.