2016-17 NBA Season Preview: Dallas Mavericks
Welcome to theScore's 2016-17 NBA preview, where you'll find comprehensive coverage of all 30 teams and storylines to watch this season.
Dallas Mavericks
2015-16
| Record | Southwest | West | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42-40 | 2nd | 6th | Lost in Round 1 (4-1 OKC) |
Offseason Roundup
| Additions | Departures |
|---|---|
| Harrison Barnes (4/$94M) | Charlie Villanueva |
| Andrew Bogut (trade with GSW) | Chandler Parsons (MEM) |
| Stanko Barac draft rights (trade with IND) | Zaza Pachulia (GSW) |
| A.J. Hammons (draft) | David Lee (SAS) |
| Seth Curry (2/$6M) | Raymond Felton (LAC) |
| Quincy Acy (2/$2M) | Jeremy Evans (traded to IND) |
| Dorian Finney-Smith (3/$2.5M) | Emir Preldzic draft rights (traded to IND) |
| Nicolas Brussino (3/$2.5M) | JaVale McGee (GSW) |
| Jonathan Gibson (3/$2.5M) | |
| Kyle Collinsworth (2/$1.4M) |
- Re-signed Dirk Nowitzki (2-year, $50M contract)
- Re-signed Deron Williams (1-year, $10M contract)
- Re-signed Dwight Powell (4-year, $37M contract)
Projected Starting 5
- PG Deron Williams
- SG Wesley Matthews
- SF Harrison Barnes
- PF Dirk Nowitzki
- C Andrew Bogut
Related: How Mavs' offseason gambles can get them past 1st round
Player to watch: Harrison Barnes
With great paychecks comes great responsibility.
There's plenty of pressure on Harrison Barnes to become the go-to guy in Dallas after signing a four-year, max deal with the Mavericks this summer. The club is banking on the 24-year-old to eventually evolve into the No. 1 option, as Dirk Nowitzki is expected to retire within the next two years.
Despite conceding that the Mavs are still Nowitzki's team, Barnes will be bestowed a larger role that will further expand over time. In addition to providing solid defense and rebounding like he did for the Golden State Warriors, head coach Rick Carlisle has asked Barnes to handle the ball and score more.
The 6-foot-8 small forward wasn't relied on to do much of that in his four years in the Bay Area, where he took a back seat to stars Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
Barnes' stats reflect his lack of involvement in the offense, as he averaged a career-high 11.7 points and 1.8 assists per game last season to go along with 4.9 rebounds.
While those numbers - plus his below-average PER of 12.3 - don't exactly scream "franchise player," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes Barnes is capable of much more than he's been asked to do.
Now the $94-million man will have the opportunity to prove himself. The stage is set for him to feature prominently in a lineup in which he won't be overshadowed by an All-Star trio. It'll be fascinating to see whether or not he can deliver.
Season Expectations
The Mavericks haven't made it out of the first round since 2011, when they claimed the franchise's first championship. A repeat of that success is unlikely in the brutally competitive West.
That won't stop the team from trying, though. In an effort to end Nowitzki's career on a high note, the organization recently added a mix of experienced veterans as well as misfits who might excel in its system.
The Mavs injected some championship experience from the Warriors in Barnes and Andrew Bogut, and took a low-risk flyer on Seth Curry in the hope he'll provide some consistent outside shooting.
Dallas retained Deron Williams, Dwight Powell, and of course, the aging but still productive Nowitzki. The club will also have back a healthy Wesley Matthews, along with sophomore Justin Anderson, who showed flashes last postseason of defensive potential.
As usual, Carlisle will get the most out of his roster. However, that won't change the fact it's lacking in shooting, speed, and defense - especially when Nowitzki's on the floor.
The Mavs finished with 42 wins in 2015-16, and while they could pick up a few more victories with their overall improved squad, it's tough to envision them getting home-court advantage or making much noise in the Western Conference playoffs.