Mavericks Have To Make 2 Roster Moves, Still Looking To Trade Youngster? And Candidates For Backup PG

While the Dallas Mavericks’ 2024-25 roster appears to be nearly set and NBA training camp is still two months away, coach Jason Kidd and general manager Nico Harrison have important decisions to make. The Mavericks have 16 players on standard contracts and just two on two-way deals, meaning that they will have to cut at least one player and possibly sign one to a minor league deal. Additionally, the Mavericks appear to have a battle for their backup point guard position.

Dallas Mavericks’ 2024-25 Roster Appears Set

Dallas is bringing back most of their 2024-25 roster. The Mavericks, which made six roster moves between February 1 and the end of the 2024-25 campaign, have had a pretty quiet summer. Still, the Mavs have things to figure out before and during training camp.

Dallas’ actual only move was replacing Spencer Dinwiddie with D’Angelo Russell.  Of course, the Mavericks drafted Cooper Flagg while also agreeing to a contract extension with Kyrie Irving and re-upping with Dante Exum. Irving is slated to miss most of the 2025-26 season with a torn ACL.

Dallas has 16 players on standard contracts. Therefore, the Mavericks will have to make at least one roster move to their 15-man roster. The Mavs are $700,000 from being hard-capped at the second apron. They have reportedly been gauging the trade interest in Olivier-Maxence Prosper.

If Dallas can’t trade Prosper before the start of the regular season, Brandon Williams figures to be the odd man out, as his deal is not fully guaranteed. Williams demonstrated the ability to score the ball in the NBA last season, but there are questions surrounding his game. It is possible that if Williams, who is guaranteed $200,000 of his salary, could ink another two-way deal with the Mavericks if he is released from the 15-man roster.

Dallas has an open minor league roster spot. Rookies Ryan Nemhard and Miles Kelly fill the other two spots.

Mavericks Projected 2025-26 Starting Unit

Despite only having two newcomers, Dallas is slated to have an entirely different starting unit. Last year, Kidd’s most common starting unit began the game together just seven times. His most regular unit, post-Luka Dončić trade, included Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, Daniel Gafford, and PJ Washington. That five-man unit went 3-3 in six starts.

Kidd figures to pencil Anthony Davis, Russell, and Flagg into his starting unit every night. Davis is expected to spend the bulk of his time at power forward alongside Dereck Lively II or Gafford. The Athletic’s Christian Clark believes Kidd will go with Lively over Gafford as his starting center.

“That’s something we have a huge advantage (with) going forward: our size,” said Mavericks assistant coach Josh Broghamer, telling Clark. “The talent with that size, that’s something we put on a premium here, and it’s been really, really good for us so far.”

Lively started 29 of his 36 appearances a season. He missed the final 38 games due to a stress fracture in his ankle and reportedly underwent surgery to clean up bone spurs in his right foot recently. However, the 21-year-old center is expected to be ready for training camp.

Gafford missed 24 games a season ago as he suffered a knee injury. Gafford came off the bench in most of the games in which he and Liveley were available together.

Mavericks Final Starting Spot

With the Mavericks’ ball-handling and iffy outside shooting being their most significant question marks, Clark thinks Klay Thompson should get the final first-unit spot. Thompson, 35,  started all 72 contests that he appeared in this past season. However,  Washington started 56 of 57 contests last season and is coming off a career campaign.

“To give Davis as much space as possible in the half court, I’ve penciled in Klay Thompson for the starting lineup,” Clark wrote.” At this point in their careers, P.J. Washington is the better player; I believe that if the Mavericks are going to start Davis — a sub-30 percent 3-point shooter for his career — next to a non-shooting center, they will need Thompson’s ability to stretch the floor from the opening tip.”

Mavs Second Unit