An NBA general manager must be conscious of his team's salary cap situation when trying to build a championship roster. After all, overpaying in one area means that there might not be enough money left over to tackle another crucial need.
Even with the hype surrounding Dallas ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season, general manager Nico Harrison isn't exempt from criticism. While some Mavericks are being paid exactly what they deserve (or even less in some cases), others are firmly within "overpaid" territory.
Keeping that in mind, here are three Mavericks who are making more than they should heading into the 2023 NBA campaign.
3 Most Overpaid Mavericks
1. Tim Hardaway Jr.
Make no mistake about it: Tim Hardaway Jr. isn't a horrible player by any stretch. While he isn't a difference-maker most nights, he's a well-respected veteran who's averaged 15.4 points over nearly five seasons with the Mavericks since 2019.
The issue is the fact that Hardaway carries a $17.8 million cap hit in 2023-24.
It didn't seem like a bad idea when the Mavs signed him to a four-year, $74 million contract ahead of the 2021-22 season. After all, the California native had just averaged 16.6 PPG on .447/.391/.816 splits during the previous year before shooting 40.4% from three-point range in the postseason.
Unfortunately, Hardaway's offense has slightly declined over the last two campaigns. On top of only averaging 14.4 PPG last season, he only started in 45 of his 71 appearances and shot the ball 43.1% from two-point range — the worst mark of his 10-year career.
At 31 years old, it's unlikely that we'll see Hardaway turn back the clock. He's still a decent three-pointer shooter at times and will have the occasional big game, but it's hard for fans to love the idea that he has the third-highest cap hit on the roster.
Barring a massive turnaround this fall, I don't see a world where Hardaway is worth his current contract.
2. Richaun Holmes
GM Harrison entered this summer with one goal in mind: fix the Mavericks' rebounding issues. Dallas was near the bottom of most rebounding categories last season, resulting in management trading for Richaun Holmes from the Sacramento Kings.
A few years ago, I'd be singing the praises of that move. Holmes was an everyday starting center as recently as 2020-21 when he averaged 14.2 points and 8.3 rebounds over 61 games with the Kings.
However, it's hard to tell if the former 2015 second-rounder is worth his $12 million 2023-24 price tag. For starters, he was completely out of favor in Sacramento last year, averaging just 3.1 points and 1.9 rebounds while playing less than nine minutes a night over 42 games (one start).
On top of that, Holmes has barely played a full season over the last two years, suiting up in only 87 games since the start of the 2021-22 campaign.
If Holmes returns to his 2021 form, he's well worth the price of admission. The issue is that he'll be 30 years old once the new campaign begins and most players are out of their prime by that age. Throw in the fact that he also has a player option next summer and it's even tougher to like Holmes' contract situation as a Mavs fan.
3. JaVale McGee
JaVale McGee has never been close to being a top player in the league, but he's still enjoyed a nice career that has included winning three NBA Championships. His winning pedigree played a big role in the Mavericks inking him to a three-year, $20.1 million contract last offseason.
It didn't take long for the veteran big man to prove that he wasn't worth that deal. McGee was a non-factor for the majority of the 2022-23 season, averaging 4.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks while playing less than nine minutes over 42 games.
McGee is typically known for being a reliable paint presence, but his 17.5% rebound percentage was disappointing considering that he finished at 22.7% in the previous season with the Phoenix Suns.
His contract becomes a bigger issue once you realize that the Mavericks also have Holmes, Dereck Lively II, and Dwight Powell, who can all play center minutes. It's just hard to justify McGee carrying a $5.7 million hit when Dallas already has other players who can share his responsibilities.
With McGee likely picking up his $6 million player option next summer, the Mavericks have to find a way to move on from his overpaid contract. Whether it's before the season starts or by the trade deadline, there's no reason to keep the ex-Nevada product around at his current price.
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