Dallas

Mavericks

Irving apparently suffered the injury while training in early July, but the severity of the injury and a potential timeline for return are unknowns.

Dallas got off to a brutal start on Monday and never recovered, getting blown out for the second consecutive game. Prosper was one of the bright spots, as he hit two 3-pointers on four attempts and tied for the team lead in assists with Brandon Williams. As a rookie, O-Max did not see much action, and he’ll face an uphill battle for rotation minutes in 2024-25. However, the loss of Derrick Jones Jr. may lead to more opportunities for Prosper to contribute, especially as a defender.

Lawson had a rough night shooting the basketball, going 25% from the field, but he produced a solid effort on the glass. Only Isaiah Whaley (nine) had more rebounds than Lawson among Mavericks players. And he has work to do in Las Vegas. While Lawson did sign a four-year deal last season, his contract for the 2024-25 season is not fully guaranteed until January 10. And even if Lawson does enough to secure his place on the roster, he may not be able to offer tangible fantasy value.

Ajinca was selected by the Knicks with the 51st overall pick in last month’s draft, with his draft rights being traded to the Mavericks. Dallas has one open two-way slot to work with, which could be what Ajinca is competing for this summer. He was solid against the Jazz, even if the shooting accuracy left something to be desired. He was active on both ends of the floor, and that effort stands to be Ajinca’s best path to an NBA contract.

After finishing fourth at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Slovenia will not appear in Paris. Doncic led the way offensively but was also responsible for 10 turnovers, as Greece jumped out to a 13-0 lead and did not look back. While the Mavericks certainly weren’t opposed to Doncic representing his country, the time off this summer should be a positive for the perennial MVP candidate. After playing at the FIBA World Cup last summer and winning a silver medal, Doncic aggravated a prior leg injury during the preseason. While good to go to begin the 2023-24 campaign, having a healthy Doncic in training camp this time will be a positive for Dallas.

Thompson reportedly had four year offers that were worth more money, but he took a pay cut to try and win a championship with the Mavs. His departure will open up a starting spot that will likely be filled by second-year guard Brandin Podziemski, barring more moves by the Warriors. Thompson should fill out the starting forward spot opposite PJ Washington, which means that Naji Marshall will likely fill a reserve role behind them. Green will have a chance to see big minutes for the Hornets next season, though his fantasy upside will be limited. As part of the sign-and-trade, the Mavericks have sent two future second-round picks to the Warriors.

A solid bench contributor for the Pelicans during his four seasons in New Orleans, Marshall is headed to Dallas for the next step in his career. Appearing in 66 games last season, he averaged 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.9 3-pointers in 19.0 minutes. Marshall’s signing calls into question the future of Derrick Jones Jr., who is also a free agent. Jones was a consistent starter for the Western Conference champions, and his exit would free up additional minutes for Marshall. In fact, Marshall could start if Dallas was unable to sign Klay Thompson.

There have been multiple reports that talks between Klay and the Warriors haven’t been going well, and there have also been reports that Dallas is interested in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Both players would bring championship pedigree and deep range shooting, so it isn’t surprising that Klay is being linked to Dallas. Thompson would likely fill out the starting small forward spot if he joins the Mavs and see plenty of open triples, courtesy of Luka Doncic.

Ajinca played one professional season for Saint-Quentin in the Betclic Elite league in France where he averaged 13.6 points, 4.9 boards, 1.1 assists, 0.8 steals and 2.4 triples per-36-minutes. His shooting percentages of 37.5% from the field, 79.7% from the charity stripe and 30.9% from beyond the arc left a lot to be desired, but at 6’8, 218, he’s athletic and has the physical tools to succeed at the next level. Ajinca is a raw talent in need of development, but he’s got a high ceiling which is likely what made him attractive to the Mavericks. It is unclear what they had to give up to move up in the draft, but they have a high upside project to develop. He may not come over to play in the NBA immediately, but he does have some fun upside.

A fixture in the Mavericks’ bench rotation throughout the regular season, Hardaway did not see much action as Dallas made its run to the NBA Finals. With one year remaining on his contract and the Mavericks needing to free up money to re-sign Derrick Jones Jr., it makes sense that THJ would be the subject of trade rumors. And based on comments made on social media by his father (which have since been deleted), it appears Hardaway is ready to move on, provided he has a more significant role at his next stop. During his introductory press conference, Pistons lead executive Trajan Langdon said he’s open to using the team’s cap space to take on contracts, provided future draft assets are attached.