Heading into the offseason, Mavs GM Nico Harrison was adamant about the Dallas Mavericks upgrading both their defense and rebounding this summer.
On draft night, the Mavs took a big step in that direction by selecting Duke center Dereck Lively II with the No. 12 pick, and then trading for veteran center Richaun Holmes from the Sacramento Kings.
This past season, Holmes only played 42 games with the Kings, averaging 3.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in just over eight minutes per game. Kings head coach Mike Brown opted to go with more versatile big men behind All-Star Domantas Sabonis, such as Trey Lyles and Chimezie Metu.
However, it's Holmes' sample size from 2019-22 that shows promise for the Mavericks. Through that three-year stretch, he averaged 12.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 64.6 percent from the field in just over 27 minutes per game.
Is Holmes the defensive-anchor center that Dallas has been searching for? He's not, but Holmes is an overall upgrade above free agent Dwight Powell and JaVale McGee within the big man rotation. He will also ease the burden of Lively having to do it all from day one of his rookie campaign.
What Holmes would bring to the Mavericks is high-quality rim running, and he's a big that can set screens and be effective in the pick-and-roll as a lob threat or with his lethal floater. Defensively, Holmes will immediately be an upgrade on the glass for Dallas and will at least pose a threat as a rim protector, which the Mavs desperately need.
Now, there's still no certainty that Holmes stays in a Mavericks uniform as the offseason is just getting started, which Harrison made very clear following the NBA draft. "No, it’s go time. We’re not done at all ... This is just the beginning," Harrison said.
But if Holmes does indeed stay in Dallas heading into the 2023-24 season, look for him to play a role within Jason Kidd's big-man rotation. Given how the Mavs were the worst rebounding team in the league last season, and that they had the 25th-ranked defense, it can only go up from here.
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