The Association: Dallas Mavericks

[vtcha]

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2020-21 Season Preview

Another disappointing exit in the Playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks were MIA during the Conference Semifinals.

Now in Year 3 of the so-called 'Big 3' era, Dallas has some serious questions to face. For starters, is the trio of John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Harrison Barnes really for real? or are they just pretenders? Having failed to make the Conference Finals so far, they're currently suffering the same fate as the Los Angeles Clippers during the Blake Griffin days.

During the offseason, Dallas was able to re-sign Serge Ibaka as well as address some outside shooting concerns that was noticeable last season.

Some key additions to bolster the Mavericks bench include Marcus Smart, Chandler Parsons, Ryan Anderson and unsigned rookie, Tony Powers. Unfortunately, Dallas lost a key contributor in Denzel Valentine to the Brooklyn Nets, who simply offered too much for Mark Cuban to stomach in and go over the luxury tax.

Overall, the Mavericks season still looms largely on the trio of Wall, Cousins and Barnes, but the defensive addition of Smart as well as three-point shooting from Parsons and Anderson are surely welcomed signings. Still, will this roster be able to get the job done come crunch time?

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Team Roster

	#1 Justin Anderson | SF University of Virginia
	Height: 6'6"	DOB: Nov 19, 1993 (26 years old)
	Weight: 228 lbs	Drafted: 2015 (1st Rnd, 21st by DAL)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 5 year
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season 14 19.7 40.5 100.0 3.0 1.1 0.9 0.2 3.2 Career 111 17.5 39.5 84.3 2.9 0.8 0.5 0.5 4.5
2020-21 Overview With the Mavericks losing Denzel Valentine to free agency, it may not be too surprising to see Anderson play at both wing positions this year. His minutes certainly look to be on the rise.

	#40 Harrison Barnes | SF/PF University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
	Height: 6'9"	DOB: May 30, 1992 (28 years old)
	Weight: 225 lbs	Drafted: 2012 (1st Rnd, 7th by GSW)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 8 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season 14 35.1 43.1 87.1 5.6 1.7 1.1 0.6 19.6 Career 359 29.0 44.7 77.6 4.8 1.6 0.8 0.3 11.8
2020-21 Overview Can Barnes bounce back after a horrid shooting from downturn last season at just 25%?

	#20 A.J. Hammons | C Purdue University
	Height: 7'0"	DOB: Aug 27, 1992 (28 years old)
	Weight: 260 lbs	Drafted: 2016 (2nd Rnd, 46th by DAL)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 4 year
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season 13 12.1 78.6 82.4 4.7 0.2 0.4 1.0 4.5 Career 49 16.3 73.4 75.2 6.4 0.6 0.8 1.4 6.3
2020-21 Overview The big man from Purdue will continue to back up Boogie at the center this season.

	#11 John Wall | PG University of Kentucky
	Height: 6'4"	DOB: Sep 6, 1990 (30 years old)
	Weight: 210 lbs	Drafted: 2010 (1st Rnd, 1st by WAS)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 10 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season 14 35.1 49.3 77.2 3.6 10.4 2.5 0.4 20.6 Career 477 35.6 43.6 78.8 4.4 9.2 1.8 0.6 18.3
2020-21 Overview Entering his 11th season, can John Wall finally get that monkey of his back and make it to the Conference Finals?

	#7 Serge Ibaka | PF CB L'Hospitalet (Spain)
	Height: 6'10"	DOB: Sep 18, 1989 (31 years old)
	Weight: 235 lbs	Drafted: 2008 (1st Rnd, 24th by SEA)
	Nationality: Congolese/Spanish	Experience: 11 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season 14 27.3 53.4 92.3 6.0 1.0 0.7 1.5 8.4 Career 580 28.9 51.7 75.4 7.4 0.6 0.4 2.4 11.5
2020-21 Overview Despite his numbers falling across the board, the Mavericks will still need to heavily rely on Ibaka as their premier 3&D guy.

	#10 Tim Hardaway Jr. | SG University of Michigan
	Height: 6'6"	DOB: Mar 16, 1992 (28 years old)
	Weight: 205 lbs	Drafted: 2013 (1st Rnd, 24th by NYK)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 7 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season 14 24.5 40.0 100.0 1.6 1.1 0.6 0.4 4.9 Career 258 22.7 41.7 82.7 1.9 1.3 0.5 0.2 9.6
2020-21 Overview Many have tried but Hardaway continues to keep that starting job at shooting guard despite the rapid decline in numbers each year. Expect much the same this season.

	#12 DeMarcus Cousins | C University of Kentucky
	Height: 6'11"	DOB: Aug 13, 1990 (30 years old)
	Weight: 270 lbs	Drafted: 2010 (1st Rnd, 5th by SAC)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 10 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season 14 34.6 58.6 72.4 13.6 1.8 1.9 1.9 25.4 Career 468 31.7 46.7 73.1 11.0 2.8 1.4 1.2 20.5
2020-21 Overview After an MVP-esque performance last season, can Cousins go one-up and carry the Mavs all the way to glory?

	#23 Wesley Matthews | SG/SF Marquette University
	Height: 6'5"	DOB: Oct 14, 1986 (34 years old)
	Weight: 220 lbs	Drafted: 2009 (Undrafted)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 11 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2018-19 Season 14 12.5 31.2 100.0 0.6 0.4 0.1 0.1 3.0 Career 576 31.3 43.3 83.1 3.0 2.0 1.1 0.2 13.5
2020-21 Overview Matthews was a complete non-factor last season, shooting a dismal 31.2% from the field. Can he write his wrongs this season?

	#43 Al Jefferson | C Prentiss High School (Mississippi)
	Height: 6'10"	DOB: Jan 4, 1985 (35 years old)
	Weight: 289 lbs	Drafted: 2004 (1st Rnd, 15th by BOS)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 16 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season 3 9.3 70.0 80.0 3.7 0.7 0.3 0.3 6.0 Career 836 30.2 49.8 70.6 8.8 1.5 0.7 1.3 16.4
2020-21 Overview No longer the dominant post threat he once was, Big Al will likely serve as the third-string center for the Mavericks.

	#33 Marcus Smart | PG/SG Oklahoma State University
	Height: 6'4"	DOB: March 6, 1994 (26 years old)
	Weight: 220 lbs	Drafted: 2014 (1st Rnd, 6th by BOS)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 6 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season 14 30.4 34.3 84.9 4.4 5.1 1.6 0.1 13.6 Career 184 27.5 36.2 73.7 3.9 3.4 1.5 0.3 9.3
2020-21 Overview Smart will likely serve as the team's sixth man, similarly to what Denzel Valentine did last season. However, with his size, it is possible Smart may even play at the shooting guard spot during crunch time.

	#25 Chandler Parsons | SF/PF University of Florida
	Height: 6'10"	DOB: October 25, 1988 (32 years old)
	Weight: 230 lbs	Drafted: 2011 (2nd Rnd, 38th by HOU)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 9 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season 14 27.6 40.2 66.7 3.9 1.9 0.9 0.4 14.2 Career 395 32.6 47.0 69.5 4.9 3.0 1.0 0.4 14.5
2020-21 Overview The prodigal son returns! Though no longer the dynamic player he once was, Parsons can still be effective in stretches, which is likely what Rick Carlisle will be looking to utilize, playing him in both forward spots.

	#3 Ryan Anderson | PF University of California, Berkeley
	Height: 6'10"	DOB: May 6, 1988 (32 years old)
	Weight: 240 lbs	Drafted: 2008 (1st Rnd, 21st by NJN)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 12 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season 5 8.6 17.6 0.0 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.6 Career 532 25.8 41.8 85.5 5.6 0.9 0.5 0.4 13.1
2020-21 Overview Anderson will likely be used as a stretch four backing up Ibaka off the bench.

	#17 Tony Powers | SG University of Mississippi
	Height: 6'3"	Age: 20 years old
	Weight: 185 lbs	Drafted: 2020 (2nd Rnd, 54th by CHI)
	Nationality: American	Experience: Rookie
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2019-20 Season Career
2020-21 Overview The sharpshooter will likely be the third-string shooting guard for the team after an impressive training camp and preseason outing.

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Player Contracts

Key: Team Option, Player Option, Non-Guaranteed

PLAYER	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
DeMarcus Cousins	$32,540,000	$33,880,000
John Wall	$31,190,000	$32,540,000
Harrison Barnes	$21,450,000	$22,420,000	$23,380,000
Serge Ibaka	$17,350,000	$18,130,000
Marcus Smart	$14,200,000	$14,840,000
Justin Anderson	$4,230,000	$4,410,000
Chandler Parsons	$3,800,000	$3,970,000
A.J. Hammons	$2,250,000	$2,340,000
Al Jefferson	$1,120,000
Wesley Matthews	$1,120,000
Ryan Anderson	$1,120,000
Tim Hardaway Jr.	$1,120,000	$1,180,000
Tony Powers	$821,000

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Future Draft Pick Status

IN	OUT

[lakers24]

Re: The Association: Dallas Mavericks

I'm really liking this roster and believe this is the year you break through. Only way I see this not working is if you continue to have horrid years with your shooters in Barnes, Matthews, Anderson, etc. The depth is there though.

[Knickerbocker91]

Re: The Association: Dallas Mavericks

So is Parsons going to come off the bench or will Hardaway Jr finally slide out the starting lineup and Barnes slide down to the 2?

[LopaKa]

Re: The Association: Dallas Mavericks

damn I was definitely rooting for my Wade-led Heat, but it would've been cool to see the sixers take it all. The damn Warriors seem unstoppable. Nice job improving your bench sir, i'm looking forward to this upcoming season.

[vtcha]

So is Parsons going to come off the bench or will Hardaway Jr finally slide out the starting lineup and Barnes slide down to the 2?

At the moment, I've still got Hardaway pegged as the starting SG. I was thinking of sliding Smart at the two-guard when Hardaway is not feeling it (basically a timeshare between the two). But your suggestion is actually intriguing. Perhaps I might experiment it against bigger lineups.

[vtcha]

Since the Warriors were crowned the NBA Champions last season, many teams have undergone a number of changes over the long summer offseason. NBA.com's John Schuhmann will grade each franchise -- from the best team to the last -- in the inaugural Power Rankings for the 2020-21 NBA season.

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NBA.com's Power Rankings, are just one man's opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail or contact him via Twitter.

1

Golden State (Last season: 11-3) Head Coach: Steve Kerr Much the same for the three-peat champions with some big signing at center position in Willie Cauley-Stein. The rich just gets richer.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Stephen Curry	Shaun Livingston
SG	Klay Thompson	E'Twaun Moore	Allen Hall	Wesley Barnett
SF	Kevin Durant	Bruno Caboclo	Glen Robinson III
PF	Draymond Green	Joffrey Lauvergne
C	Willie Cauley-Stein	Damian Jones	Jonathan Jeanne

2

Cleveland (Last season: 10-4) Head Coach: Tyronn Lue With LeBron missing the NBA Finals for the past two seasons now, this may very well be the last push.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kyrie Irving	Andrew Harrison	Matthew Dellavedova	Mario Chalmers
SG	J.R. Smith	Austin RIvers
SF	LeBron James	Allen Crabbe	D'Angelo Black
PF	Tristan Thompson	Trevor Booker
C	Dwight Howard	Dwight Powell

3

Minnesota (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: David Blatt With the young pups all grown up, can they finally make some noise in the postseason?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kris Dunn	Tim Frazier	Isaac Tate
SG	Zach LaVine	Dion Waiters	Ben McLemore	Boss Benson
SF	Andrew Wiggins
PF	Harry Giles	Andrew Nicholson	Amir Johnson	Caleb Swanigan
C	Karl-Anthony Towns

4

Philadelphia (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: Mike Budenholzer The new kings of the East, the Sixers will look to maintain that spot for many years to come.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Malik Monk	Jacob Walsh
SG	Terrance Ferguson	Paul Chapman	Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
SF	Ben Simmons	Dario Saric	Kyle Anderson	Dzanan Musa
PF	Jahlil Okafor	Kenneth Faried
C	Joel Embiid	Alex Len

5

Dallas (Last season: 9-5) Head Coach: Rick Carlisle A disappointing postseason campaign, the Mavericks will look to redeem themselves this season.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	John Wall	Marcus Smart
SG	Tim Hardaway Jr.	Wesley Matthews	Tony Powers
SF	Harrison Barnes	Justin Anderson
PF	Serge Ibaka	Chandler Parsons	Ryan Anderson
C	DeMarcus Cousins	A.J. Hammons	Al Jefferson

6

San Antonio (Last season: 5-9) Head Coach: Gregg Popovich A very un-Spurs like season, San Antonio will be looking to bounce back into the Playoffs this season.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Tyler Ulis	Jeff Teague	Tony Parker
SG	Hamidou Diallo	Braden Samuel	Major Banks
SF	Kawhi Leonard
PF	LaMarcus Aldridge	Meyers Leonard	Chimezie Metu
C	Thomas Bryant	Jarrett Allen	Tyler Zeller

7

Boston (Last season: 4-10) Head Coach: Brad Stevens The Celtics are simply too deep and too good to miss another postseason. Can the newly acquired Eric Bledsoe further justify their case?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Isaiah Thomas	Eric Bledsoe
SG	Avery Bradley	Shake Milton	Andre Roberson
SF	Jaylen Brown	Jae Crowder
PF	Derrick Favors	Ivan Rabb	Dario Golob
C	Al Horford	Solomon N'diaye	Ike Anigbogu

8

L.A. Clippers (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: Quin Snyder The Clippers will look to contend for the Playoffs whilst continuing to brew their prized prospects in Collin Sexton and Dejounte Miller.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Chris Paul	Collin Sexton	Corey Joseph
SG	Dejounte Miller	Allonzo Trier
SF	Terrence Ross	Malcolm Hill	James Michael Johnson-King	Wilson Chandler
PF	Markieff Morris	Andrea Bargnani
C	DeAndre Jordan	Marreese Speights

9

Portland (Last season: 10-4) Head Coach: Kevin McHale A great regular season team but they simply can't get it done come Playoff time. Will it be any different this season?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Damian Lillard
SG	C.J. McCollum	Malcolm Gibbs
SF	Al-Farouq Aminu	Maurice Harkless	Patrick Berry
PF	Bam Adebayo	Noah Vonleh	Brandan Wright
C	Mason Plumlee	Ed Davis	Tony Bradley	Chinanu Onuaku

10

Chicago (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: Doc Rivers With some new faces to pair with Jimmy Butler, Wendell Carter and Bobby Portis, can the Bulls make some noise this season?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Tomas Satoransky	Jerian Grant	Kay Felder	Eddy McCloud
SG	Malachi Richardson	J.J. Redick
SF	Jimmy Butler	O.G. Anunoby	Bojan Bogdanovic
PF	Wendell Carter	Kelly Olynyk
C	Bobby Portis	Brook Lopez

11

Milwaukee (Last season: 10-4) Head Coach: Tom Thibodeau The Bucks bounced back in a big way last year but can they repeat again after a somewhat disappointing postseason run?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Giannis Antetokounmpo	Frank Jackson
SG	Troy Brown Jr.	Nik Stauskas
SF	Jabari Parker	C.J. Miles	Jordan Hamilton
PF	Thon Maker	Tobias Harris	Wenyen Gabriel
C	Bismack Biyombo	Greg Monroe	Marcus Patton

12

Toronto (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: Dwane Casey After a disappointing encore season following a trip to the NBA Finals, can the Raptors get back to the glory days? Time is also running out for Kyle Lowry, who is on his last year of his contract at age 34.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kyle Lowry	Joseph Young
SG	DeMar DeRozan	Norman Powell		Dion Waiters
SF	Kevin Knox	Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk	Thanasis Antetokounmpo	Jace Janning
PF	Jared Sullinger	Martin Olic	Kelvin Bennett	Emmanual Vasquez
C	Jonas Valanciunas	Jakob Poeltl

13

Memphis (Last season: 8-6) Head Coach: Logan Schmidt A horrible start last season, a coaching change drastically change the fortunes for Memphis. What will be in store for coach Logan Schmidt in year 2?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Mike Conley	Wade Baldwin	Ty Lawson	Scooter Patterson
SG	Tyler Johnson	Bruce Brown
SF	Kelly Oubre Jr.	Rudy Gay	Lance Thomas
PF	Deyonta Davis	JaMychal Green
C	Marc Gasol	Ivica Zubac

14

L.A. Lakers (Last season: 5-9) Head Coach: Luke Walton I'm starting to sound like a broken record but is this the year Blake Griffin finally takes the Lakers to the Playoffs?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Trevon Duval	Alejandro Ruiz
SG	D'Angelo Russell	Jordan Clarkson	Iman Shumpert
SF	Brandon Ingram	Will Barton	Miles Bridges	Paul Zipser
PF	Blake Griffin	Larry Nance Jr.
C	Nerlens Noel	Skyler Olson

15

Denver (Last season: 5-9) Head Coach: Mike Malone Can Denver make some splash under their two talented big men?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Emmanuel Mudiay	De'Aaron Fox	Isaac Bishop
SG	Gary Harris	Jamal Murray	Alex Abrines	Trae Simmons
SF	Danilo Gallinari	Rodney Gaines
PF	Nikola Jokic	Juan Hernangomez
C	De'Andre Ayton	Jusuf Nurkic

16

Indiana (Last season: 4-10) Head Coach: Terry Stotts A big signing during the offseason for Indiana as they acquire Paul Millsap. Will he be the x-factor to aid the Pacers in contending for the East?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Melo Trimble	Tyus Jones	Trey Burke	Tony Wroten
SG	Lonnie Walker	Lance Stephenson	Louis Harrington
SF	Paul George	Solomon Hill
PF	Paul Millsap	Tyronn Singleton
C	Myles Turner	Timofey Mozgov

17

New York (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: Frank Vogel Despite posting a .500 for the first time in years', the Knicks still managed to miss the Playoffs. Now in his second year in New York, can Kemba Walker change that?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kemba Walker	Patrick Beverley
SG	DeMar Brooks	Antonio Blakeney
SF	Jayson Tatum	Shabazz Muhammad
PF	Carmelo Anthony	Jordan Mickey	Davis Bertans	Jarnell Stokes
C	Kristaps Porzingis	Festus Ezeli	Chris McCullough

18

Washington (Last season: 10-4) Head Coach: Sidney Lowe They'll be big expectations from the WIzards this year after posting the best record in the East.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Dennis Smith Jr.	Ricky Rubio	Isaiah Briscoe
SG	Bradley Beal	Grayson Allen
SF	Tyreke Evans	Justin Jackson	DeMarre Carroll
PF	Otto Porter	Sacha Killeya-Jones	Brandon O'Neal
C	Gorgui Dieng	Jordan Hill

19

Phoenix (Last season: 5-9) Head Coach: Jeff Hornacek How far can Phoenix go this season under their young talented backcourt duo of Booker and Ball?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Lonzo Ball
SG	Devin Booker	Kent Bazemore	Malik Beasley	Jordan McRae
SF	T.J. Warren	Mario Hezonja
PF	Dragan Bender	Marquese Chriss	Bennie Boatwright
C	Khalil Carson	Mohamed Bamba	Brandon McCoy

20

Utah (Last season: 8-6) Head Coach: Nate McMillan With Playoff experience under their belts, can the Jazz do the unthinkable and dethrone the almighty Warriors?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Markelle Fultz	Dante Exum	T.J. McConnell
SG	Josh Richardson	Kerwin Roach
SF	Gordon Hayward
PF	Michael Porter Jr.	Thomas Robinson	Pascal Siakam	Caleb Anderson
C	Rudy Gobert	Axel Romero	Marcus Barrow

21

Oklahoma City (Last season: 9-5) Head Coach: Billy Donovan The Thunder added versatile forward Evan Turner but have more important things to consider at the end of the season with Westbrook, Oladipo and Adams all in their final year of contract.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Russell Westbrook	Jerryd Bayless
SG	Victor Oladipo	Evan Turner
SF	Robert Covington	Luol Deng
PF	Domantas Sabonis	Brice Johnson	Karl Winston	Chief Thompson
C	Steven Adams	Enes Kanter	Kosta Koufos

22

Orlando (Last season: 6-8) Head Coach: David Joerger Steve Lever didn't turn out to be a bust after all so what can we expect from him in year 2?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Derrick Rose	Raul Neto
SG	Steve Lever	Donovan Mitchell	Rawle Alkins
SF	Evan Fournier	Devin Robinson	Nasir Abdul-Wahad
PF	Aaron Gordon	Jonathan Isaac
C	Nikola Vucevic	Willy Hernangomez	Dewayne Dedmon

23

New Orleans (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: Alvin Gentry The Pelicans made huge strides last season making it all the way to the Conference Finals. On top of that, they were able to re-sign Anthony Davis. Today was a good day.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Malcolm Brogdon	Jrue Holiday
SG	Buddy Hield	Brandon Knight
SF	Isaac Bonga	Dakoulas Balidis
PF	Anthony Davis	Taj Gibson	Isaiah Hartenstein	Jeremy Evans
C	Marques Bolden	Joakim Noah	Quentin Malone

24

Detroit (Last season: 8-6) Head Coach: Stan Van Gundy Are the Pistons destined for mediocrity again?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Reggie Jackson	Elfrid Payton		Michael Carter-Williams
SG	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope	Kostja Mushidi
SF	Stanley Johnson	Marcus Morris
PF	Lauri Markkanen	Brayden Tyler	Paulo Castillo
C	Andre Drummond	Henry Ellenson	Reggie Davis

25

Sacramento (Last season: 4-10) Head Coach: Mike D'Antoni The Kings interestingly drafted big man Elliot Newble with the #1 pick despite a rising talent in Papagiannis at the center position already. Then again, it's the Kings we're talking about.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Frank Ntilikina	Terry Rozier	Tyler Ennis
SG	Caris LeVert	Rashad Vaughn
SF	Taurean Prince	Trevor Ariza
PF	Kevin Love	Thaddeus Young	Skal Labissiere
C	Georgios Papagiannis	Elliot Newble	Doug Andersen	Steven Jones

26

Charlotte (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: Steve Clifford The Hornets seem to have good something brewing with their young core of Lawrence Howard and Luke Doncic. And now adding point guard, Dejounte Murray, can they get back into the Playoff with this unit?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Dejounte Murray	Sheldon Overton	Sean Jean-Charles
SG	Luka Doncic	Khris Middleton
SF	Michael Kidd-Gilchrist	JaKarr Sampson
PF	Nikola Mirotic	Frank Kaminsky	Kevin Looney	Donatas Motiejunas
C	Lawrence Howard	Cody Zeller

27

Atlanta (Last season: 6-8) Head Coach: Erik Spoelstra The Hawks are officially in rebuild mode after trading away Eric Bledsoe and letting Paul Millsap walk in free agency.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Dennis Schroder	Edmond Sumner
SG	Erik Wright	Patrick McCaw	James Young
SF	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson	Mikal Bridges	V.J. Beachem
PF	Montrezl Harrell	Cheick Diallo	Trey Lyles	Eddy Thomas
C	Raymar Benjamin	Omer Yurtseven

28

Houston (Last season: 5-9) Head Coach: Kuba Gooding Despite the rumors of Houston trading for DeAndre Jordan falling short, they still managed to nab George Hill in free agency. Still, at the age of 34, is he really much of a factor anymore?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	George Hill	Martell Jackson	Darren Collison	Trevor Ashley
SG	James Harden	Patty Mills	Seth Curry
SF	DeAndre Lawrence	Sylven Belemene
PF	Julius Randle	Richaun Holmes	Carlton Bragg Jr.
C	Clint Capela

29

Brooklyn (Last season: 4-10) Head Coach: Kenny Atkinson The Nets officially traded away Brook Lopez as they slowly continue their rebuild. They did manage to acquire some talent on the wings with Nicolas Batum and Denzel Valentine joining.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Cameron Payne	Jeremy Lin
SG	Denzel Valentine	Alec Burks
SF	Nicolas Batum	Doug McDermott	Jonathan Greene	Marcus Holmes
PF	Tyler Lydon	Alan Carter
C	Leon Best	Damir Markovic	Cesar Perez

30

Miami (Last season: 8-6) Head Coach: Dwyane Wade Josh Jackson officially busted out of the gates last season and even went as far as carrying the Heat to the Conference Finals. Is the hype for real this year?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Goran Dragic	Shelvin Mack
SG	Rodney Hood	Sean Kilpatrick
SF	Josh Jackson	Wizard Kelly
PF	Justise Winslow	Terrence Jones	Jon Leuer
C	Hassan Whiteside	John Henson	Stephen Zimmerman	Lucas Nogueira

[vtcha]

Dallas rolls in season opener, offseason signings make immediate impact

November 2, 2020 | by NBA News

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Marcus Smart's fingerprints were all over this game, racking up 12 points, 6 assists and 2 steals as he helped the Mavericks start the season with a 105-80 win over the Trail Blazers.

Despite coming off the bench, Smart, along with Wall, both played terrific defense, holding Portland's dynamic backcourt duo to just 42 points on 54 attempts.

DeMarcus Cousins was also unstoppable in the paint as he scored a game-high 31 points and 13 rebounds while John Wall double-doubled with 17 points and 10 assists.

Interestingly, Tim Hardaway Jr. continues to start at shooting guard despite his ongoing struggles, going scoreless in tonight's game. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle addressed the media after, stating that he won't be making any lineup changes soon. "I think he had some great looks tonight. Unfortunately they didn't go in but we want him to keep taking those shots regardless. As a shooter, he'll eventually figure it out, but for now, we're just going to ride it out," Carlisle spoke of Hardaway's struggles.

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Spurs edge past Mavericks, 100-95

November 14, 2020 | by NBA News

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Tyler Ulis continued his incredible start to the season with his new team, racking up 18 points, 8 assists and 6 steals. Kawhi Leonard also led the team in scoring with 27 points, as the Spurs recorded 16 steals and 21 offensive rebounds which led to the tough victory.

As for Dallas, Hardaway Jr. noticeably continued his shooting woes, going 1/5 from the field before Rick Carlisle pulled him out and elected to go with Wesley Matthews and Marcus Smart down the stretch.

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Mavericks overcome Suns in second half, win 106-91

November 28, 2020 | by NBA News

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Dallas got things back on track after a disappointing loss to San Antonio in their last game.

Backed by a dominating 52-37 second half, DeMarcus Cousins led the charge with 29 points and 11 rebounds. His partner in crime, John Wall, also fared well with 22 points and 12 assists.

Earlier on, the struggling Tim Hardaway Jr. was very aggressive, scoring 6 quick points before cooling off. He finished with a season high, 11 points, but on just 3/9 shooting. After the game, point guard John Wall praised Hardaway's efforts despite the continued shooting woes. "I told Tim before the game, be prepared because I'm going to find him. Even though the three's weren't falling, he still attacked the paint and that's what we need from him."

With several reports of Hardaway's name circling around trade rumors, he'd better find his groove quick before it's too late.

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Cousins, Mavericks power past Kings

December 19, 2020 | by NBA News

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Despite the boos, DeMarcus Cousins did not let that phase him as he carries Dallas to a 110-91 victory, handing Sacramento their first defeat of the season. Cousins finished with a monstrous 25 points and 17 rebounds while Serge Ibaka, who was held scoreless in the last game, bounced back, knocking down 4 three-pointers and finishing with 18 points.

As for the Kings, number 1 overall pick Elliot Newble continues to struggle in his very young career. He finished with 0 points and 2 rebounds. And although it's still early to tell, Kings fans have already started to label him as a bust, blaming owner Vivek Ranadivé for the boneheaded pick.

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Mavericks exact revenge, defeat Pelicans 112-103

January 9, 2021 | by NBA News

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In a Playoff-like atmosphere, it was Dallas that prevailed over New Orleans.

A rivalry brewed during last years' Conference Semifinals, both teams gave it their all, trading buckets throughout the game.

DeMarcus Cousins scored a game-high 32 points and 13 rebounds while John Wall tallied up a season-high 14 assists.

As for the Pelicans, Anthony Davis broke out of his early season slump, finishing with 22 points. However, as a team, New Orleans shot just 12/25 from the foul line which would ultimately factor in their defeat.

After the game, John Wall addressed the media, stating that he was clearly motivated to get the win. "Look man, straight up this is probably the one game I was most looking forward to the most. I mean with just how everything went down last year, you know, it just felt like unfinished business and I'm just happy we were able to take care of it."

Dallas will now have their hands full as they play the Golden State Warriors in their next game.

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Warriors overcome Mavericks in OT

January 15, 2021 | by NBA News

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Golden State led by as much as 15 points but all that was erased thanks to a roaring comeback late in the fourth quarter where Dallas went on an 8-0 run.

DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall came up huge with 32 and 31 points respectively. With their outside shots completely broken tonight (2/13 3PT), the Mavericks kept attacking the paint, leading to 42 free throw attempts. The Wall/Cousins pick-n-roll was in full effect as the Warriors had no answers but to foul.

However, it seems for every step closer to tying the game, the Warriors simply responded back. Kevin Durant scored a season-high 35 points whilst the Splash Brothers combined for 48 points. In the end, the firepower was just too much for Dallas to overcome.

After the game, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle addressed some areas of concerns after tonight's loss. "I think this game clearly shows the separation between a good team and a championship team. I think lately we've been giving up a lot of offensive boards and we just need to ride it out with our shots. They've been all great looks and I'm confident the team will eventually start knocking them down. But we really need to stop giving up second chance points. They're literally game-changing plays."

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[Slyone14]

Re: The Association: Dallas Mavericks

Great stuff as always.How is Lawrence Howard doing in your league? FOR mine he has been a real dominant defensive big man. Reminds me alot of Tyson Chandler

[Jaiveer]

Re: The Association: Dallas Mavericks

Great stuff as always.How is Lawrence Howard doing in your league? FOR mine he has been a real dominant defensive big man. Reminds me alot of Tyson Chandler

As a guy a part of the draft class making group. It is definitely great to see that comparison, had him in mind while making Howard.

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How is Lawrence Howard doing in your league? FOR mine he has been a real dominant defensive big man. Reminds me alot of Tyson Chandler

He's having a real nice sophomore season so far. After making the All-Rookie 1st-Team, he is averaging almost double his points.

Personally, I have not seen him in action as he is on the Eastern Conference (Charlotte Hornets), but stat-wise, he looks like a healthy Greg Oden.