The Association: Dallas Mavericks

In 1979, businessman Don Carter and partner Norm Sonju requested the right to bring an NBA franchise to Dallas, Texas. The last professional basketball team in Dallas had been the Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association, which moved to San Antonio in 1973 to become the San Antonio Spurs.

At the 1980 NBA All-Star Game, league owners voted to admit the new team, with the team's name coming from the 1957-1962 TV Western Maverick. The name was chosen by fans with 4600 postcards received beating Wranglers and Express. They joined the Midwest Division of the Western Conference, where they would stay until the league went to six divisions for the 2004-05 season. Dick Motta, who coached the Washington Bullets to the NBA Championship in 1977-78, was hired as the team's first head coach.

The Mavericks' made their debut at the start of the 1980-81 NBA season, taking place in the brand-new Reunion Arena, where they faced the San Antonio Spurs. They stunned the Spurs, beating them 103-92, and captured their first ever franchise victory. The Mavericks ended up with a 15-67 record in their inaugural season. Three seasons later, Motta led Dallas to the playoffs for the first time.

In 1996, owner Don Carter was tired of fighting with city officials about building a new arena and decided it was time to trim some of his business interests. Among his streamlining was the sale of a majority interest in the Mavericks for $125 million to an investment group led by H. Ross Perot Jr.

In 1998, recent owner, H. Ross Perot Jr., and the Dallas Stars indicated their desire for a new facility to replace the dated Reunion Arena. Dallas taxpayers approved a new hotel tax and rental car tax to pay for a new facility to cover a portion of the funding, with the two benefitting teams, the Mavericks and the Stars, picking up the remaining costs. On March 18, 1999, American Airlines announced that it would be acquiring the naming rights for the arena for $195 million.

Four years later, on January 14, 2000, Ross Perot's group sold the Dallas Mavericks to Internet entrepreneur and season ticket-holder Mark Cuban for $285 million. Cuban immediately set out to revitalize the Mavericks and increase the team's popularity in Dallas and nationwide.

In 2011, the Mavericks entered the NBA Finals as underdogs due to the Miami Heat's "Big Three" coming together during the course of the season. Dallas captured their first ever NBA title with a 4-2 series win, completely reversing what had happened in the 2006 NBA Finals.

By 2016, according to Forbes, the team is worth an estimated $1.4 billion, ranking #9 on the most valuable franchise in the league, and have the longest sellout streak among the four North America pro sports.

Titles

Championships: 5 (2011, 2021, 2023, 2025, 2026)
Conference titles: 6 (2006, 2011, 2021, 2023, 2025, 2026)
Division titles: 9 (1987, 2007, 2010, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2025, 2026)

Retired Numbers

		Brad Davis \| G
		12 Seasons in DAL - Averaged 8.6 points, 5.1 assists in 883 games Assistant Coach (1992-93 to 1994-95), Player Development Coach (2000-01 to Present), Radio Broadcaster (2007-08 to Present)

		Rolando Blackman \| G
		11 Seasons in DAL - Averaged 19.2 points in 865 games 4x All-Star Assistant Coach (2000-01), Assistant Coach (2005-06), Director of Basketball Development (2006-07 to Present)

		Dirk Nowitzki \| F
		19 Seasons in DAL - Averaged 22.0 points in 1,353 games 1x NBA Champion & Finals MVP 1x MVP 13x All-Star 4x 1st Team All-NBA, 5x 2nd Team All-NBA, 3x 3rd Team All-NBA

Basketball Hall of Fame

PLAYERS

	Alex English \| F
	1 Season in DAL - Averaged 9.7 points in 79 games Inducted in 1997
	Adrian Dantley \| F/G
	2 Seasons in DAL - Averaged 17.0 points, 4.3 rebounds in 76 games Inducted in 2008
	Dennis Rodman \| F
	1 Season in DAL - Averaged 2.8 points, 14.3 rebounds in 12 games Inducted in 2011
	Dirk Nowitzki \| F
	19 Seasons in DAL - Averaged 22.0 points, 7.9 rebounds in 1,353 games Inducted in 2017
	Chris Bosh \| F
	1 Season in DAL - Averaged 5.6 points in 14 games Inducted in 2020
	Marc Gasol \| C
	1 Season in DAL - Averaged 10.7 points, 6.3 rebounds in 14 games Inducted in 2024
	Derrick Rose \| G
	1 Season in DAL - Averaged 3.9 points in 7 games Inducted in 2025

COACHES

	Don Nelson
	Head Coach (1997-98 to 2004-05), General Manager (1997-98 to 2004-05) Inducted in 2012

List of Head Coaches

#	Name	Term	GC	W	L	%	GC	W	L	%	Achievements
#	Name	Term	Regular Season				Playoffs				Achievements
1	Dick Motta	1980-1987	574	267	307	.465	28	11	17	.393
2	John MacLeod	1987-1989	175	96	79	.549	17	10	7	.588
3	Richie Adubato	1989-1992	264	94	170	.356	3	0	3	.000
4	Gar Heard	1992-1993	53	9	44	.170	-	-	-	-
5	Quinn Buckner	1993-1994	82	13	69	.159	-	-	-	-
-	Dick Motta	1994-1996	164	62	102	.378	-	-	-	-
6	Jim Cleamons	1996-1997	98	28	70	.286	-	-	-	-
7	Don Nelson	1997-2005	590	339	251	.575	43	19	24	.442	Basketball Hall of Fame (2012)
8	Avery Johnson	2005-2008	264	194	70	.735	47	23	24	.489	NBA Coach of the Year (2006) Western Conference Championship (2006)
9	Rick Carlisle	2008-Present	780	470	310	.603	76	46	30	.605	NBA Coach of the Year (2023) Western Conference Championship (2011, 2021, 2023, 2025, 2026) NBA Championship (2011, 2021, 2023, 2025, 2026)

**vtcha** · 10-16-2016, 04:22 AM

Staff & Executives

OWNER

	Mark Cuban
	HEAD HONCHO
	The Man, The Myth, The Legend. Sitting with the fans while dressed like one, egging the opposing teams and screaming at the refs, Mark Cuban is easily the most charismatic individual of the organization. Online and off, Cuban is an unfiltered force of opinion and a bombastic personality among the rather stodgy inner circle of NBA ownership. No stranger to controversy, he has accumulated close to $2 million of fines from the league for various outbursts spanning over 16 years. Although Cuban may seem irresponsible at times, he actually does something rather impressive each time he is fined. According to him, he matches each fine he receives from the NBA with a donation to a charity of his choosing.

BASKETBALL OPERATIONS

	Donnie Nelson
	PRESIDENT OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS/GENERAL MANAGER
	The son of Basketball Hall of Famer, Don Nelson, Donnie joined the Mavericks as an assistant GM in 1998. Since then, he has been instrumental in rebuilding a team that suffered a decade-long playoff drought into a perennial playoff team and championship contender. In a 2007 Sports Illustrated article ranking the NBA's personnel bosses from 1 to 30, Donnie was ranked No. 2 overall. Additionally, in a 2009 Yahoo! Sports article, Donnie was ranked the 3rd best General Manager of the decade after producing nine 50-plus win seasons in a row and the first Finals appearance in franchise history in 2006. Donnie assembled the Mavericks team that would later win the 2011 NBA Championship.


	Oliver Saunders
	ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER
	Replacing former Assistant GM, Eli Best, Oliver joined the Mavericks in the summer of 2017. He previously worked as an international head scout in the D-League for six years.


	Rick Carlisle
	HEAD COACH
	Rick Carlisle became the ninth coach in franchise history on May 9, 2008. He joined the Mavericks after spending six seasons, with Detroit and Indiana, as a head coach. Carlisle led his team to the playoffs nine times in his first ten seasons as a head coach. He guided the Mavericks to their first-ever World championship in 2011, becoming one of only 11 individuals to win an NBA championship as both a player and as a head coach (he won a title as a player with Boston in 1986).


	Dirk Nowitzki
	ASSISTANT COACH
	Nowitzki joined the coaching staff in 2018 after spending his entire career playing for the Mavs. Nowitzki is Dallas' all-time leading scorer and arguably their greatest player ever.


	William Peterson
	SCOUTING DIRECTOR
	With a promotion in 2016, William Peterson overtook the role as Scouting Director of the Mavericks. Prior to the role, Peterson was a scout for the Mavericks since 2002, spending half his time over in Europe.


	Bradley Jones
	HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER
	Bradley Jones joined the Mavericks in 2016 after spending the past five years as an assistant trainer for the Dallas Cowboys. Jones graduated from the University of Virginia.


	vtcha
	ADVISOR
	Going by a pseudonym, vtcha joined the Dallas Mavericks as a special advisor on August 21, 2016. In this role, vtcha primarily assists with the basketball operations, ranging from propositions and second opinions, to providing consultations. He reports directly to owner Mark Cuban and GM Donnie Nelson, and often travels to Dallas whilst maintaining his Sydney-based residence.

FINANCE

	Jason Taylor
	CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
	Joined in 2016, Jason Taylor brings his extensive experience and expertise to the Mavericks overseeing financial aspects of the organisation, including the responsibility and management of financial planning and record-keeping, as well as financial reporting to higher management. Taylor has been in the industry for over 30 years, working for various banking corporations within Austin.

**vtcha** · 10-16-2016, 04:23 AM

2015-16 Season Recap

The 2015-16 NBA season was the 36th season for the Dallas Mavericks franchise.

Before the season even began, concerns were raised after Dallas got off to a slow start, losing all seven games in the preseason. However they were able to get their first win in the season opener at the US Airways Center, defeating the Phoenix Suns 111-95.

During the early parts of the season, the Mavericks battled through several injuries from their key players. The Mavs, whom had recently signed Wesley Matthews to a 4yr, $70 million deal, was coming off a torn ACL suffered from the previous season. Likewise, Chandler Parsons had undergone off-season knee surgery and was constantly in and out of the lineup.

On December 23, 2015, Dirk Nowitzki passed Shaquille O'Neal on the all-time scoring list, placing him into sixth place with 28,597 points.

At the All-Star break, Dallas posted a respectable 29-26 record (6th in the West). Although nobody in the team was selected as an All-Star, one of the more pleasant surprises was the productivity of veteran big man, Zaza Pachulia. The Mavericks acquired him from the Bucks during the off-season and it payed dividends as Pachulia averaged an unlikely double-double (10.0 PPG, 10.7 RPG) at the break.

During the second half of the season, the Mavs were mediocre at best. The early season resurgence for Pachulia began to wore off as he declined rapidly, finishing with averages of 5.8 PPG and 7.0 RPG after the break. The Mavs were also dealt a huge blow, losing Chandler Parsons after undergoing season-ending knee surgery. To make matters worse, point guard Deron Williams would also miss some time as a result of an abdominal strain. With the Mavericks shorthanded, sixth man J.J. Barea stepped up and led the team to a 6-game winning streak as the playoffs drew near. For his efforts, Barea was named Player of the Week for games from March 28 through April 3 - the first for the franchise since Monta Ellis back in 2014. The team was a perfect 4-0 during the span where Barea averaged an incredible 23.5 PPG and 6.8 APG while shooting 52.1% from the field.

Dallas wrapped up the season with an overall record of 42-40 (6th in the West). They would eventually face the third-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in a first-round series match-up.

Despite being completely dominated in Game 1 losing by 38 points, the Mavericks pulled off an upset away win in Game 2, defeating OKC 85-84. However, the victory would be short-lived as the Thunder would soon prove to be too much, winning the next three games and clinching the series 4-1.

Depth Chart

	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Deron Williams	Raymond Felton	Devin Harris
SG	Wesley Matthews	J.J. Barea
SF	Chandler Parsons	Justin Anderson
PF	Dirk Nowitzki	David Lee	Charlie Villanueva	Jeremy Evans
C	Zaza Pachulia	Dwight Powell	Salah Mejri	JaVale McGee

Division Standings

SOUTHWEST	W	L	GB	DIV	CONF
San Antonio Spurs	67	15	0.0	14-2	43-9
Dallas Mavericks	42	40	25.0	7-9	27-25
Memphis Grizzlies	42	40	25.0	7-9	25-27
Houston Rockets	41	41	26.0	8-8	28-24
New Orleans Pelicans	30	52	37.0	4-12	20-32

Conference Standings

WESTERN CONFERENCE	W	L	GB	DIV	CONF
1. Golden State Warriors	73	9	-	15-1	46-6
2. San Antonio Spurs	67	15	6.0	14-2	43-9
3. Oklahoma City Thunder	55	27	18.0	13-3	37-15
4. Los Angeles Clippers	53	29	20.0	9-7	31-21
5. Portland Trail Blazers	44	38	29.0	11-5	29-23
6. Dallas Mavericks	42	40	31.0	7-9	27-25
7. Memphis Grizzlies	42	40	31.0	7-9	25-27
8. Houston Rockets	41	41	32.0	8-8	28-24
9. Utah Jazz	40	42	33.0	8-8	24-28
10. Sacramento Kings	33	49	40.0	8-8	19-33
11. Denver Nuggets	33	49	40.0	4-12	18-34
12. New Orleans Pelicans	30	52	43.0	4-12	20-32
13. Minnesota Timberwolves	29	53	44.0	4-12	18-34
14. Phoenix Suns	23	59	50.0	6-10	17-35
15. Los Angeles Lakers	17	65	56.0	2-14	8-44

Team Statistics

FGM

FGA

FG%

3PM

3PA

3P%

FTM

FTA

FT%

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

TO

STL

BLK

PF

PTS

+/-

37.4

84.1

44.4

9.8

28.6

34.4

17.7

22.3

79.4

9.2

33.9

43.1

22.1

12.8

6.8

3.7

19.5

102.3

-0.3

22nd

18th

20th

7th

5th

22nd

12th

21st

3rd

26th

8th

19th

18th

2nd

26th

29th

8th

16th

Team Leaders

POINTS		PPG	REBOUNDS		RPG
	1. Dirk Nowitzki	18.3		1. Zaza Pachulia	9.4
	2. Deron Williams	14.1		2. David Lee	7.0
	3. Chandler Parsons	13.7		3. Dirk Nowitzki	6.5
	4. Wesley Matthews	12.5		4. Chandler Parsons	4.7
	5. J.J. Barea	10.8		5. Dwight Powell	4.0
ASSISTS		APG	STEALS		SPG
	1. Deron Williams	5.8		1. Wesley Matthews	1.0
	2. J.J. Barea	4.1		2. Deron Williams	0.9
	3. Raymond Felton	3.6		3. Raymond Felton	0.9
	4. Chandler Parsons	2.8		4. Devin Harris	0.9
	5. Wesley Matthews	1.9		5. Chandler Parsons	0.8
BLOCKS		BPG	FIELD GOAL		FG%
	1. Salah Mejri	1.1		1. David Lee	63.6
	2. JaVale McGee	0.8		2. Salah Mejri	62.8
	3. Dirk Nowitzki	0.7		3. JaVale McGee	57.5
	4. David Lee	0.6		4. Jeremy Evans	54.2
	5. Justin Anderson	0.5		5. Dwight Powell	49.3
3 POINT FIELD GOAL		3P%	PLUS/MINUS		+/-
	1. Chandler Parsons	41.1		1. Dirk Nowitzki	3.4
	2. J.J. Barea	38.5		2. Wesley Matthews	1.3
	3. Dirk Nowitzki	36.8		3. Salah Mejri	1.2
	4. Wesley Matthews	36.0		4. John Jenkins	0.4
	5. Deron Williams	34.4		5. Justin Anderson	0.1

Player Statistics

Regular Season
Player	GP	MIN	FG%	FT%	3PM	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Dirk Nowitzki	75	31.5	44.8	89.3	1.7	6.5	1.8	0.7	0.7	18.3
Deron Williams	65	32.4	41.4	86.9	1.5	2.9	5.8	0.9	0.2	14.1
Chandler Parsons	61	29.5	49.2	68.4	1.7	4.7	2.8	0.8	0.3	13.7
Wesley Matthews	78	33.9	38.8	86.3	2.4	3.1	1.9	1.0	0.2	12.5
J.J. Barea	74	22.5	44.6	77.1	1.4	2.1	4.1	0.4	0.0	10.9
Raymond Felton	80	27.4	40.6	84.7	0.8	3.2	3.6	0.9	0.2	9.5
Zaza Pachulia	76	26.4	46.6	76.8	0.0	9.4	1.7	0.9	0.3	8.6
David Lee	25	17.3	63.6	73.8	0.0	7.0	1.2	0.4	0.6	8.5
Devin Harris	64	20.0	44.7	72.1	0.8	2.2	1.8	0.9	0.2	7.6
Dwight Powell	69	14.4	49.3	73.9	0.0	4.0	0.6	0.5	0.3	5.8
Charlie Villanueva	62	10.7	38.2	91.7	0.8	2.5	0.4	0.3	0.2	5.1
JaVale McGee	34	10.9	57.5	50.0	0.0	3.9	0.1	0.1	0.8	5.1
Justin Anderson	55	11.8	40.6	80.0	0.4	2.4	0.5	0.3	0.5	3.8
Salah Mejri	34	11.7	62.8	58.7	0.0	3.6	0.3	0.2	1.1	3.7
John Jenkins	21	9.2	41.4	88.9	0.1	1.0	0.4	0.1	0.0	3.3
Jeremy Evans	30	8.4	54.2	71.4	0.1	1.8	0.1	0.2	0.3	2.4

Playoffs
Player	GP	MIN	FG%	FT%	3PM	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Dirk Nowitzki	5	34.0	49.4	94.1	0.8	4.8	1.6	0.4	0.6	20.4
Raymond Felton	5	34.5	46.4	63.6	0.8	4.6	4.6	1.2	0.0	15.0
Wesley Matthews	5	34.7	78.9	33.3	2.0	3.6	1.2	1.2	0.0	13.0
Justin Anderson	5	19.0	45.9	64.3	0.8	4.0	1.4	0.8	0.6	9.4
Devin Harris	5	24.1	50.0	50.0	0.8	2.8	1.6	0.6	0.0	7.8
Zaza Pachulia	5	22.4	37.5	88.2	0.0	5.4	3.2	0.6	0.2	6.6
J.J. Barea	4	25.1	32.4	100	0.3	1.5	5.0	0.0	0.0	6.3
Dwight Powell	4	16.0	47.4	54.5	0.0	4.3	1.0	0.3	0.0	6.0
David Lee	2	16.3	75.0	0.0	0.0	3.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	6.0
Deron Williams	2	16.4	33.3	0.0	1.0	0.7	2.7	0.3	0.0	5.0
Salah Mejri	4	19.0	70.0	41.7	0.0	3.3	0.3	0.8	1.3	4.8
Charlie Villanueva	4	5.1	25.0	100	0.3	0.5	0.3	0.0	0.0	2.3
JaVale McGee	2	7.1	50.0	33.3	0.0	1.5	0.0	0.5	0.0	2.0

**vtcha** · 10-16-2016, 04:24 AM

YEAR 1: 2016-17

**vtcha** · 10-16-2016, 04:25 AM

2016 Offseason Summary

NBA Draft

As a result of the Rajon Rondo trade made back in 2014, the Mavericks did not own a first round pick which would have resulted in the 16th overall pick. Instead, the Boston Celtics owned the rights to the pick and used the selection on French forward, Guerschon Yabusele. In the second round of the draft, Dallas used their 46th pick overall to select A.J. Hammons from Purdue University. The pick made total sense for a Dallas team that severely lacked rim protection last season where they ranked 29th in the league in blocks.

Transactions

TRADES

July 7, 2016	To Dallas Mavericks	To Golden State Warriors
	Andrew Bogut	Dallas' 2019 second-round draft pick
	Golden State's 2019 second-round draft pick
July 7, 2016	To Dallas Mavericks	To Indiana Pacers
	Draft rights to Stanko Barać	Jeremy Evans
		Draft rights to Emir Preldžić

FREE AGENTS

RE-SIGNED
	Dwight Powell
	Re-signed on July 8, 2016 4-yr, $37 million


	Deron Williams
	Re-signed on July 8, 2016 1-yr, $10 million


	Dirk Nowitzki
	Re-signed on July 27, 2016 2-yr, $50 million

IN
	Harrison Barnes
	Signed offer sheet on July 7, 2016 4-yr, $94 million


	Seth Curry
	Signed on July 15, 2016 2-yr, $6 million


	Jonathan Gibson
	Undrafted in 2010 Signed on July 15, 2016 3-yr, $2.5 million


	Quincy Acy
	Signed on July 20, 2016 2-yr, $2.2 million

OUT
	Chandler Parsons
	Signed with Memphis Grizzlies on July 7, 2016 4-yr, $94 million


	Zaza Pachulia
	Signed with Golden State Warriors on July 12, 2016 1-yr, $2.9 million


	Raymond Felton
	Signed with Los Angeles Clippers on July 25, 2016 1-yr, $1.5 million


	David Lee
	Signed with San Antonio Spurs on August 2, 2016 2-yr, $3.2 million


	JaVale McGee
	Waived on July 8, 2016 Free Agent on July 10, 2016


	Charlie Villanueva
	Free Agent on July 1, 2016

**vtcha** · 10-16-2016, 04:26 AM

Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Another one bites the dust. That's been the recurring theme of the Dallas Mavericks for the past five years, whom yet again, have struck out in free agency and failed to land any big fish.

The biggest coup the Mavs have landed during their tenure as aggressive bidders in free agency was Chandler Parsons whom only managed to play just one postseason game for them. They then decided that banking on his knees wasn't worth the risk any longer, and instead, opted to use the money on...umm, ~~Steph~~ Seth Curry?

Okay, to be fair, Hassan Whiteside and Mike Conley were the priority this summer. But unfortunately it wasn't to be as Whiteside respectively turned down Dallas' max offer to return to Miami, and Conley, who was meeting with the Mavs when (guess who) Parsons made his commitment to sign a max deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, quickly shun the Mavs and agreed to re-sign with the Grizzlies in what is now the richest contract in NBA history.

Whiteside and Conley join an everlasting list, including LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan, Dwight Howard, pre-Brooklyn Nets Deron Williams, and Carmelo Anthony as the big fishes whom have failed to show up at the altar. Adding salt to the wound, Dallas never even got official meetings with two superstars that owner Mark Cuban wanted most: LeBron James and Chris Paul.

However, Cuban and Co. did manage to scoop Harrison Barnes as a result of the whole Kevin Durant debacle. But let’s be honest, Barnes is far from considered a big fish at this stage of his career. It’s not like teams were eagerly lining up to woo him after his disappearing act in the NBA Finals where he shot just 35% from the field – a far cry from his season average of 46.6%. With nothing else better on the market, the Mavs literally had get someone, and so they did, signing Barnes to a whopping four year, $94 million deal. The biggest take is that Barnes still has plenty of room to grow especially now that he is stepping out of the shadows of his superstar Warriors teammates. Dallas coach, Rick Carlisle, also thinks the former Tar Heels collegiate is poised for a breakout season. "I mean, he's been a great system player on a championship team. But at age 24, you know, it's time for him to take the next step, and I think he's looking forward to doing that".

Can the 'Black Falcon' end the Mavs' free agency woes?

So what have the Mavs got to show after years of trying to reel in the big fishes once Cuban chose to prioritize cap space over keeping an aging Championship roster? Well, quite frankly; a grand total of five playoff wins, a bust signing in Chandler Parsons, a consolation prize in Harrison Barnes and a plethora of cap space with nobody to sign. Unfortunately with all that money to throw at, it was lifelong star Dirk Nowitzki who ended up as the biggest loser. By leaving a tonne of money on the table, not only did the Mavs fail to capitalize on the financial flexibility, but they also wasted some quality years of their aging veteran along the way, and now both Dirk and the Mavs are back to square one. Fortunately, not all is lost as loyalty in Dallas does not go unnoticed. More recently, owner Mark Cuban graciously compensated Nowitzki with a lucrative two year, $50 million deal, with a team option in 2017-18 -- Cuban essentially gave Nowtizki all the money the team could without going into the luxury tax.

**vtcha** · 10-16-2016, 04:27 AM

Jesse D. Garrabrant-NBAE via Getty Images

Draft picks. That's definitely one thing you wouldn't normally associate the Dallas Mavericks with. It's the one big thing the Mavs have failed to get right and why they continuously fail at attracting premier free agents. When the Mavericks began building a team around a much younger Dirk Nowitzki, adding veterans and proven role players made a lot of sense. However, as Dirk aged, not adjusting to that strategy when the team could have really benefited from a hybrid of young talent is one of the reasons why the front office has been so widely criticized.

The last time Dallas held a lottery pick was back in 2013 when they drafted Kelly Olynyk. Instead of keeping that pick to have some young assets to build upon, they opted to trade down with the Celtics in exchange for Lucas Nogueira. But they weren't done yet as they quickly traded further down for Shane Larkin. Essentially, the Mavs flipped their 13th pick for an 18th pick and a pair of second-rounders. Prior to that year, the Mavs also traded down, sending their 17th pick and Kelenna Azubuike to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The most alarming figure is that the Mavs have traded 19 of their very own draft picks since 2000. Wowzers! Do they really only care about preserving cap space? Could they be getting cold feet every year? Or are they simply not trusting their scouts?

If we look even further down the years, the last time the Mavs retained a top 10 pick was way back in 1998 when they drafted Robert Traylor. That pick was immediately traded for some German kid and the rest is history. Of course, the lack of lottery picks is credited to the Mavs having only missed the Playoffs just once during the Cuban era - which itself is an incredible feat that no other teams have accomplished apart from the San Antonio Spurs. However, unlike the Mavs, the Spurs effectively utilized their draft picks regardless of their winning position. Notably, they drafted the likes of Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, George Hill, and Cory Joseph.

It's been a while since the Mavs drafted someone decent

Dallas, on the other hand, have not made merely the same level of impact as their divisional rivals. In fact, they're completely the opposite. The last pick that was of any significance was Josh Howard, drafted 29th overall in the rich 2003 NBA Draft. Of the picks that Dallas have made over the past decade, only five are still contracted to a team - Tyler Zeller, Kelly Olynyk, Mike Muscala, Justin Anderson, and A.J. Hammons.

Dallas Mavericks draft history since 2000

Year	Round	Pick	Name	College/HS/Club
2016	2	46	A.J. Hammons	Purdue
2015	1	21	Justin Anderson	Virginia
2015	2	52	Satnam Singh	IMG Academy
2013	1	13	*Kelly Olynyk	Gonzaga
2013	2	44	*Mike Muscala	Bucknell
2012	1	17	*Tyler Zeller	North Carolina
2012	2	55	*Darius Johnson-Odom	Marquette
2011	1	26	*Jordan Hamilton	Texas
2011	2	57	*Tanguy Ngombo	Al-Rayyan Sports Club (Qatar)
2010	2	50	*Solomon Alabi	Florida State
2009	1	24	*Byron Mullens	Ohio State
2009	2	56	*Ahmad Nivins	Saint Joseph's
2008	2	51	*Shan Foster	Vanderbilt
2007	2	34	Nick Fazekas	Nevada
2007	2	50	Renaldas Seibutis	Maroussi BC (Greece)
2007	2	60	*Milovan Raković	KK Mega Vizura (Serbia)
2006	1	28	Maurice Ager	Michigan State
2006	2	58	*J.R. Pinnock	George Washington
2004	2	50	*Vassilis Spanoulis	Maroussi BC (Greece)
2003	1	29	Josh Howard	Wake Forest
2003	2	57	*Yuyang Xue	Hong Kong Flying Dragons (China)
2002	2	54	*Mladen Šekularac	KK FMP (Serbia)
2001	2	43	*Kyle Hill	Eastern Illinois
2001	2	53	*Kenny Satterfield	Cincinnati
2000	1	12	Etan Thomas	Syracuse
2000	2	31	*Dan Ianghi	Vanderbilt
20001	2	58	*Pete Mickeal	Cincinnati

* Denotes player traded on draft night
Players in bold denotes still active in the league

So just how bad are the Mavericks when it comes to selecting draft picks? Well, here is a recap of the past decade which I'm sure many fans would rather forget...

2013
Selected: Kelly Olynyk (13th overall)
Traded down for: Lucas Nogueira (16th overall) and then Shane Larkin (18th overall)
Snubbed: Giannis Antetokounmpo (15th overall), Dennis Schröder (17th overall), Gorgui Dieng (21st overall), Rudy Gobert (27th overall)

2012
Selected: Tyler Zeller (17th overall)
Traded down for: Jared Cunningham (24th overall), Bernard James (33rd overall), and Jae Crowder (34th overall)
Snubbed: Evan Fourner (20th overall), Draymond Green (35th overall), Khris Middlton (39th overall), Will Barton (40th overall)

2011
Selected: Jordan Hamilton (26th overall)
Traded for: Rudy Fernandez (Denver Nuggets)
Snubbed: Cory Joseph (29th overall), Jimmy Butler (30th overall), Chandler Parsons (38th overall), Isaiah Thomas (60th overall)

2009
Selected: Byron Mullens (24th overall)
Traded down for: Rodrigue Beaubois (25th overall)
Snubbed: Taj Gibson (26th overall), DeMarre Carroll (27th overall), Danny Green (46th overall), Patty Mills (55th overall)

2007
Selected: Nick Fazekas (34th overall)
Snubbed: Glen Davis (35th overall), Josh McRoberts (37th overall), Marc Gasol (48th overall)

2006
Selected: Maurice Ager (28th overall)
Snubbed: P.J. Tucker (35th overall), Paul Millsap (47th overall)

Will A.J. Hammons join the long list of failed prospects?

It's one thing to draft a bust pick but it's another to trade down for an even worse one. And through all the wheeling and dealing, the front office still managed to look past the hidden gems of the draft. On top of that, the notion of treating draft picks as simply leverage and trade assets has been the kryptonite to the franchise, and if things don't correct the course fast, then expect a lengthy and daunting rebuild before we can start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

**vtcha** · 10-16-2016, 04:28 AM

Dallas (AP) - In one of the more head-scratching news of the offseason, Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, has hired an unknown "NBA fanatic" from the other side of the world as an advisory to himself and General Manager, Donnie Nelson. Even more bizarre is that he's only known under the pseudonym, vtcha.

The Mavericks said vtcha will join the front office and offer consultation and propositions on the day-to-day basketball operations. "It's always great to have a second opinion and I think that he'll be able to see things that we may have missed in the past," Cuban said in a statement.

While not much is known about the mysterious man from down under, sources indicate that he was referred to Cuban by a mutual friend. When the two met, Cuban was reportedly so impressed by vtcha's method of analyzing advanced stats and applying them within the fantasy basketball realm that he immediately signed him onboard, hoping the same strategy can transition to the real deal.

Cuban has usually been the loudest voice on the player personnel side, and the results speak for themselves. "What's changed is that teams now use all the data available to them to make personnel decisions, so the market has become more efficient," Cuban told NBA.com. As advanced analytics are becoming more of the norm and changing the way the game is dissected, many other teams have also embraced the Moneyball movement, with the likes of the Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks, and Boston Celtics at the forefront.

**vtcha** · 10-16-2016, 04:28 AM

The new look Mavs will be eager to get off to a strong start this season. | Bobby Karalla-USA TODAY Sports

With the Mavs 2016-17 schedule released on Thursday afternoon, Dallas will be entering their 37th season in the NBA with a home opener against the rising Minnesota Timberwolves, whom will be under newly appointed head coach, Tom Thibodeau. All eyes (and hype) will be on big man, Karl-Anthony Towns after his historical rookie campaign in which he unanimously won the Rookie of the Year Award.

Following the opener, the Mavericks travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies, and former Mav, Chandler Parsons. Fortunately for Parsons, he has the luxury of playing against his former team at home as opposed to a would-be hostile crowd at the American Airlines Center.

Dallas get their first rival match-up of the season when they host the Rockets on January 7th. They then visit the defending Western Conference champion, Warriors, on January 13th; a homecoming for new Mavs, Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut, as they get their first look against their former team.

Mavs fans should also circle February 23rd. That’s when the San Antonio Spurs come to town, in a must-see nationally televised game.

On April 6th, Dallas will conclude their season, hosting against the Kevin Durant-less OKC Thunder.

You can see the full schedule below.

**vtcha** · 10-16-2016, 04:29 AM

2016-17 Season Preview

Although they did not initially achieve what they wanted during free agency, the Mavericks did pick up some viable pieces in Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut, both of whom were key contributors of the 73-9 Warriors team. Barnes and Bogut essentially replace Chandler Parsons and Zaza Pachulia in the starting lineup with the latter giving the Mavs something they so desperately need; shot blocking. Bogut's rim protection, along with rookie A.J. Hammons, will definitely help boost a team that was ranked 29th in blocked shots last season.

In terms of the small forward position, the verdict is still out on whether Barnes will be an upgrade over Parsons. Undoubtedly, if Parsons was more durable then this wouldn't be debatable at all. However with the Mavs basically letting him walk free, Barnes will now be thrusted into a more focal role, as opposed to being just a spot-up shooter during his Warriors tenure, and has all the opportunity in the world to show what he's got. The question is whether he can take that next leap and become a more consistent scoring option especially with the odds against him after coming off a disastrous Playoff campaign and an Olympic cameo where he was ridiculed as Team USA's human victory cigar.

There will also be promising hopes of sophomore Justin Anderson this season who will look to build off a strong Playoff outing where he averaged 9.4 PPG in 18 minutes of action as well as putting a valiant effort in guarding Kevin Durant during the series. Furthermore, Dallas added additional outside shooting in Seth Curry whom also had an impressive run late last season, averaging 16.4 PPG (23/47 3PT) during Sacramento's final seven games. Ironically, the Mavericks have been coined the Warriors' B-team as a result of their off-season acquisitions.

The roster rounds out with some familiar faces returning in Deron Williams, Dwight Powell, and of course, Dirk Nowitzki, who was rumored to be a target for the Warriors at one point. But as the whole world already knows - he's not going anywhere.

Overall, you could say the Mavs have slightly improved on paper. However their playoff aspirations hinges greatly on both their top acquisitions of the summer; the health of Andrew Bogut and whether or not Harrison Barnes can be the Robin to Dirk Nowitzki.

Team Roster

#41 Dirk Nowitzki | PF
DJK Würzburg (Germany)

Height: 7'0"

DOB: Jun 19, 1978 (38 years old)

Weight: 245 lbs

Drafted: 1998 (1st Rnd, 9th by MIL)

Nationality: German

Experience: 18 years

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	75	31.5	44.8	89.3	6.5	1.8	0.7	0.7	18.3
Career	1340	35.3	47.4	87.9	7.9	2.5	0.8	0.9	22.0

2016-17 Overview

Eighteen years into his career, and Dirk Nowitzki really isn't showing any signs of slowing down. Despite his age, the future hall of famer has missed just 14 games over his last three seasons, and remains a productive and consistent performer.

Though his age may catch up to him at some point, after re-signing a 2-yr, $50 million deal this summer, he'll look to continue leading the Mavs for yet another playoff push.

#34 Devin Harris | PG
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Height: 6'3"

DOB: Feb 27, 1983 (33 years old)

Weight: 185 lbs

Drafted: 2004 (1st Rnd, 5th by WAS)

Nationality: American

Experience: 12 years

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	64	20.0	44.7	72.1	2.2	1.8	0.9	0.2	7.6
Career	781	26.2	43.7	79.4	2.3	4.4	1.1	0.2	11.7

2016-17 Overview

With the departure of Raymond Felton, Devin Harris will look to reprise his role as the primary backup to Deron Williams as opposed to last season where he was used more as a shooting guard.

Harris underwent surgery on his left great toe and left thumb back in May however is fully expected to be ready by training camp.

#5 J.J. Barea | PG/SG
Northeastern University

Height: 6'0"

DOB: Jun 26, 1984 (32 years old)

Weight: 185 lbs

Drafted: 2006 (Undrafted)

Nationality: Puerto Rican

Experience: 10 years

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	74	22.5	44.6	77.1	2.1	4.1	0.4	0.0	10.9
Career	660	19.3	42.3	79.6	2.0	3.5	0.4	0.0	8.5

2016-17 Overview

Arguably the team's best scorer off the bench, it was evident when Deron Williams went down late last season, as Barea went on a tear, averaging 16.7 PPG in 16 starts.

Barea had arthroscopic surgery on his right medial meniscus the day after the season ended. Addtionally, he took a month off from basketball activities in order to heal his right groin which did not require surgery. Nonetheless, he is fully expected to be ready to go well in advance of training camp.

#7 Dwight Powell | PF/C
Stanford University

Height: 6'11"

DOB: Jul 20, 1991 (25 years old)

Weight: 240 lbs

Drafted: 2014 (2nd Rnd, 45th by CHA)

Nationality: Canadian

Experience: 2 years

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	69	14.4	49.3	73.9	4.0	0.6	0.5	0.3	5.8
Career	98	12.5	48.8	74.3	3.3	0.5	0.5	0.3	5.0

2016-17 Overview

Fresh after re-signing a 4-yr, $37 million deal, Dwight Powell is expected to be the first big man off the bench in Rick Carlisle's rotation, backing veterans, Dirk Nowitzki and Andrew Bogut.

Powell improved his scoring, rebounding and assists during his second NBA season, while reducing his turnovers and personal fouls.

#23 Wesley Matthews | SG
Marquette University

Height: 6'5"

DOB: Oct 14, 1986 (30 years old)

Weight: 220 lbs

Drafted: 2009 (Undrafted)

Nationality: American

Experience: 7 years

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	78	33.9	38.8	86.3	3.1	1.9	1.0	0.2	12.5
Career	519	32.5	43.5	82.9	3.1	2.0	1.1	0.2	14.0

2016-17 Overview

One season removed after tearing his ACL, Wesley Matthews surprisingly played 78 games last season and actually averaged more minutes than any of his teammates. It's safe to say he'll be 100% healthy heading into the 2016-17 season.

Matthews' outside shooting will be key in spacing the Mavs offense and allow Dirk more room to operate in the paint. Even owner, Mark Cuban, expects Matthews to improve his 3-point percentage next season and start creating his own shots.

#8 Deron Williams | PG
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Height: 6'3"

DOB: Jun 26, 1984 (32 years old)

Weight: 200 lbs

Drafted: 2005 (1st Rnd, 3rd by UTA)

Nationality: American

Experience: 11 years

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	65	32.4	41.4	86.9	2.9	5.8	0.9	0.2	14.1
Career	781	34.8	44.5	82.2	3.2	8.3	1.1	0.3	16.8

2016-17 Overview

No longer the All-Star caliber player that he was back in Utah, Deron Williams managed to only play 65 games last season due to various injuries.

There's no denying that D-Will can still ball, however health has become the lingering concern and it will undoubtedly be the biggest risk again this season. Consequently, the Mavs only offered him a 1-yr, $10 million deal, so he'll be looking to prove his worth.

Furthermore, Williams underwent surgery during the off-season to correct his sports hernia but is expected to be good to go for the start of the 2016-17 season.

#1 Justin Anderson | SF/SG
University of Virginia

Height: 6'6"

DOB: Nov 19, 1993 (22 years old)

Weight: 228 lbs

Drafted: 2015 (1st Rnd, 21st by DAL)

Nationality: American

Experience: 1 year

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	55	11.8	40.6	80.0	2.4	0.5	0.3	0.5	3.8
Career	55	11.8	40.6	80.0	2.4	0.5	0.3	0.5	3.8

2016-17 Overview

Although he got off to a slow start, Justin Anderson really came into the picture later during the season when Chandler Parsons was injured. He notched his first double-double in a victory over Memphis with 19 PTS and 10 REB. But he wasn't done yet as he went on to average 12 PPG whilst average 21 MPG in Games 3, 4, and 5 of the first-round playoffs against OKC.

Now with a years' experience under his belt, Anderson will be the primary backup to starters, Harrison Barnes and Wesley Matthews, and will look to keep the momentum going. Mark Cuban even added that he believes Anderson could become an All-Star one day. "He's got to add to his game, and he will," Cuban said. "The sky's the limit, if he becomes a knock-down shooter and improves his ball-handling, he could be an All-Star."

#50 Salah Mejri | C
Étoile Sportive du Sahel (Tunisia)

Height: 7'2"

DOB: Jun 15, 1986 (30 years old)

Weight: 245 lbs

Drafted: 2008 (Undrafted)

Nationality: Tunisian

Experience: 1 year

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	34	11.7	62.8	58.7	3.6	0.3	0.2	1.1	3.7
Career	34	11.7	62.8	58.7	3.6	0.3	0.2	1.1	3.7

2016-17 Overview

Native of Jendouba, Tunisia, Mejri is the first player of Tunisian decent to sign with an NBA team.

The 7'2" center will likely back Andrew Bogut in the rotation.

He underwent a minor knee procedure in the off-season but should have no trouble being ready for training camp.

#6 Andrew Bogut | C
University of Utah

Height: 7'0"

DOB: Nov 28, 1984 (31 years old)

Weight: 260 lbs

Drafted: 2005 (1st Rnd, 1st by MIL)

Nationality: Australian

Experience: 11 years

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	70	20.7	62.7	48.0	7.0	2.3	0.5	1.6	5.4
Career	644	29.4	53.5	55.8	8.9	2.3	0.7	1.6	10.3

2016-17 Overview

Traded away as a result of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, Andrew Bogut is poised to give the Mavs some new life from a defensive standpoint. Despite the injury concerns, Dallas will still be hoping that Bogut can be the team's defensive anchor, a void that's been missing since the departure of Tyson Chandler a few years back.

Although a knee sprain forced him to miss the rest of the NBA Finals, Bogut was able to recover in time for the Olympics and did not miss a beat as he helped guide Australia to fourth place overall.

#40 Harrison Barnes | SF
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Height: 6'9"

DOB: May 30, 1992 (24 years old)

Weight: 225 lbs

Drafted: 2012 (1st Rnd, 7th by GSW)

Nationality: American

Experience: 4 years

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	66	30.9	46.6	76.1	4.9	1.8	0.6	0.2	11.7
Career	307	28.1	44.6	73.9	4.6	1.5	0.7	0.2	10.1

2016-17 Overview

The odd man out. Harrison Barnes signed an offer sheet with the Mavericks after being let go by the very team that drafted him.

Now, no longer in the shadows of the Splash Brothers, Barnes will be asked to do a lot more scoring than he's ever done, with coach Rick Carlisle alluding that Barnes could also develop as a playmaker for the Mavericks.

Barnes will also look to be playing with a chip on his shoulder after a rather forgetful postseason and offseason, filled with criticism and mockery.

#20 A.J. Hammons | C
Purdue University

Height: 7'0"

DOB: Aug 27, 1992 (24 years old)

Weight: 260 lbs

Drafted: 2016 (2nd Rnd, 46th by DAL)

Nationality: American

Experience: Rookie

STATS (COLLEGE)	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	33	24.6	59.2	70.9	8.2	1.1	0.3	2.5	15.0
Career	132	24.3	53.9	69.0	7.0	0.8	0.4	2.6	12.1

2016-17 Overview

At the conclusion of his senior season, A.J. Hammons was named the 2016 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten, and the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. He was named to the 35-man mid-season watchlist for the Naismith Trophy and was named one of the five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award.

#30 Seth Curry | SG
Duke University

Height: 6'2"

DOB: Aug 23, 1990 (26 years old)

Weight: 185 lbs

Drafted: 2013 (Undrafted)

Nationality: American

Experience: 3 years

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	44	15.7	45.5	83.3	1.4	1.5	0.5	0.1	6.8
Career	48	14.9	44.8	83.3	1.3	1.4	0.5	0.1	6.3

2016-17 Overview

Not merely the player as his older brother, Seth Curry can still nonetheless drain it from downtown. He was on fire towards the end of last season, knocking down 23/47 shots in the month of April and the Mavs will be hoping more of the same.

Curry is expected to play some point guard for the Mavericks and Mark Cuban said he views Curry as an "instant-offense guy" off the bench." "He can get buckets and he can shoot," Cuban said. "You know, he's been in some dysfunctional situations, and I think he'll be able to thrive with us. He can get his shot off, and he can do a lot more."

#4 Quincy Acy | PF/SF
Baylor University

Height: 6'7"

DOB: Oct 6, 1990 (26 years old)

Weight: 240 lbs

Drafted: 2012 (2nd Rnd, 37th by TOR)

Nationality: American

Experience: 4 years

STATS	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015-16 Season	59	14.8	55.6	73.5	3.2	0.5	0.5	0.4	5.2
Career	219	15.3	49.8	75.0	3.6	0.6	0.4	0.4	4.5

2016-17 Overview

Not afraid of doing the dirty work, Quincy Acy is projected as the backup for both forward spots. He'll be a nice locker room addition and his 'scrapper' mentality will surely be welcoming to the Mavs bench

#9 Nicolas Brussino | SF
Regatas Corrientes (Argentina)

Height: 6'7"

DOB: Mar 2, 1993 (23 years old)

Weight: 195 lbs

Drafted: 2015 (Undrafted)

Nationality: Argentinian

Experience: Rookie

STATS (PRESEASON)	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2016-17	7	14.5	54.2	62.5	2.3	0.9	0.3	0.1	5.6
Career

2016-17 Overview

Brussino last played for Peñarol in the Argentine basketball league where he averaged 14.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 59 games during the 2015-16 season.

#10 Dorian Finney-Smith | SF
University of Florida

Height: 6'8"

DOB: May 4, 1993 (23 years old)

Weight: 220 lbs

Drafted: 2016 (Undrafted)

Nationality: American

Experience: Rookie

STATS (PRESEASON)	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2016-17	7	15.0	26.9	37.5	3.0	0.7	0.3	0.6	3.3
Career

2016-17 Overview

As a senior in 2015-16, Finney-Smith was named second-team All-SEC by the coaches and third-team All-SEC by the Associated Press. He was Florida's leading scorer (14.7) for the second straight season and top rebounder (8.3) for the third consecutive season.

Player Contracts

Key: Team Option, Player Option, Non-Guaranteed

PLAYER	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21
Dirk Nowitzki	$25,000,000	$25,000,000
Harrison Barnes	$22,116,750	$23,112,004	$24,107,258	$25,102,513
Wesley Matthews	$17,145,838	$17,884,175	$18,622,513
Andrew Bogut	$11,027,027
Deron Williams	$9,000,000
Dwight Powell	$8,314,607	$8,938,202	$9,561,798	$10,185,393
Devin Harris	$4,227,996	$4,402,546
J.J. Barea	$4,096,950	$3,903,900	$3,710,850
Seth Curry	$2,898,000	$3,028,410
Justin Anderson	$1,514,160	$1,579,440	$2,516,048
Quincy Acy	$1,050,961	$1,178,992
Salah Mejri	$874,636	$1,014,746
A.J. Hammons	$650,000	$905,249	$1,050,262
Nicolas Brussino	$543,471	$905,249	$1,050,262
Dorian Finney-Smith	$543,471	$905,249	$1,050,262
	$109,064,260	$92,823,085	$61,738,705	$35,361,888	$0

Future Draft Pick Status

IN

OUT

2019 second round draft pick from Golden State
Dallas has the right to defer this pick conveyance to 2020

2018 second round draft pick to Milwaukee.
Protected for selections 31-55; if this pick falls within its protected range and is therefore not conveyed, then Dallas' obligation to Milwaukee will be extinguished.

2019 second round draft pick to Golden State
Protected for selections 31-55; if this pick falls within its protected range and is therefore not conveyed, then Dallas' obligation to Golden State will be extinguished.

**vtcha** · 10-16-2016, 04:30 AM

Since the Cavaliers won their first NBA title back on June 19, NBA 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 2016-17 NBA season.

* * *

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: 73-9)
Pace: 101.6 (2) OffRtg: 112.3 (1) DefRtg: 100.9 (5) NetRtg: +11.4 (2)
When you have the two recent MVP winners on the same team, both in their prime years, it's just simply unfair. Sure the Warriors may have lost some depth after capturing the best regular season record of all time but they added some very serviceable pieces in David West and Zaza Pachulia. Not to mention, they still have Iguodala and Shaun Livingston. Plus I'm sure opposing teams have a whole lot more to worry about - like how do you stop an offensive punch of Curry, Durant and Thompson?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Stephen Curry	Shaun Livingston
SG	Klay Thompson	Patrick McCaw	Ian Clark
SF	Kevin Durant	Andre Iguodala
PF	Draymond Green	David West	Kevin Looney	James Michael-McAdoo
C	Zaza Pachulia	Anderson Varejao	Damian Jones	JaVale McGee

2

Cleveland (Last season: 56-24)
Pace: 95.5 (28) OffRtg: 108.1 (4) DefRtg: 102.2 (10) NetRtg: +5.9 (4)
Cleveland's 52-year championship drought finally came to an end when the King fulfilled his promise and brought one home last season in spectacular fashion, down 3-1. With most of the gang back together, the Cavs are almost a certain lock for another Finals appearance, barring any setbacks. The question is, can they overcome an even more loaded Warriors team if they were to meet again?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kyrie Irving	Kay Felder
SG	J.R. Smith	Iman Shumpert	Jordan McRae
SF	LeBron James	Mike Dunleavy	Richard Jefferson	James Jones
PF	Kevin Love	Channing Frye
C	Tristan Thompson	Chris Andersen

3

San Antonio (Last season: 65-15)
Pace: 95.9 (25) OffRtg: 108.5 (3) DefRtg: 96.5 (1) NetRtg: +12.0 (1)
So what do you do when the face of your franchise for the past two decades retires? Simple. You replace him with Pau Gasol, whom arguably was more productive last season. It's not rocket science to think that a gifted post-playmaker like Gasol will be a hand-and-glove fit in Popovich's ball-movement offense. Still, life in San Antonio just won't be the same without Timmy...

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Tony Parker	Patty Mills	Dejounte Murray	Nicolas Laprovittola
SG	Danny Green	Manu Ginobili	Jonathon Simmons	Bryn Forbes
SF	Kawhi Leonard	Kyle Anderson	Davis Bertans
PF	LaMarcus Aldridge	David Lee
C	Pau Gasol	Dewayne Dedmon

4

Indiana (Last season: 43-37)
Pace: 99.0 (10) OffRtg: 102.4 (23) DefRtg: 100.4 (3) NetRtg: +2.0 (11)
If there's one team that could upset the Cavs in the East, it's definitely the Pacers. They made a shrewd of low-key moves, from acquiring Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young, to signing big man Al Jefferson and veteran Aaron Brooks - the Pacers are loaded with depth. PG13 is as healthy as ever and the sky is the limit for Myles Turner who really blossomed last season, particularly in the Playoffs. This team is essentially the dark-horse to win it all, and if things really start clicking, watch out!

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Jeff Teague	Aaron Brooks	Joseph Young
SG	Monta Ellis	Rodney Stuckey
SF	Paul George	C.J. Miles	Glenn Robinson III
PF	Thaddeus Young	Lavoy Allen	Georges Niang	Rakeem Christmas
C	Myles Turner	Al Jefferson	Kevin Seraphin

5

L.A. Clippers (Last season: 52-28)
Pace: 97.9 (17) OffRtg: 106.4 (6) DefRtg: 101.0 (6) NetRtg: +5.4 (5)
As great as the Clippers have been for the past few seasons, it's hard to imagine them ever getting to the Western Conference Finals, especially since they'll be rolling again with a similar roster as they have been for three straight seasons. With both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin having player options at the end of the season, will this be the last ride for Lob City?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Chris Paul	Austin Rivers	Raymond Felton
SG	J.J. Redick	Jamal Crawford
SF	Luc Mbah a Moute	Wesley Johnson	Paul Pierce	Alan Anderson
PF	Blake Griffin	Brandon Bass	Brice Johnson
C	DeAndre Jordan	Marreese Speights	Diamond Stone

6

Boston (Last season: 47-33)
Pace: 101.3 (3) OffRtg: 103.9 (12) DefRtg: 100.8 (4) NetRtg: +3.2 (8)
Despite not making any meaningful trades with their plethora of draft picks, the Celtics still managed to have a successful offseason; namely drafting Jaylen Brown and acquiring All-Star, Al Horford, thus finally landing that front-court piece that has been alluding the team for years. Horford's presence should help shoulder some of the scoring load from Isaiah Thomas and allow Boston to make a deep Playoff run.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Isaiah Thomas	Marcus Smart	Demetrius Jackson
SG	Avery Bradley	Terry Rozier	Gerald Green
SF	Jae Crowder	Jaylen Brown	James Young
PF	Amir Johnson	Jonas Jerebko	Jordan Mickey	Ben Bentil
C	Al Horford	Kelly Olynyk	Tyler Zeller

7

Toronto (Last season: 54-26)
Pace: 95.3 (29) OffRtg: 106.8 (5) DefRtg: 102.8 (11) NetRtg: +4.0 (7)
The Raptors were able to re-sign DeMar DeRozan, but in the process, lost Bismack Biyombo thanks to his outstanding performance during the postseason. With the rest of the conference rivals loading up, it will be a much tougher route for Toronto to make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals. How far will they go rests entirely on their big man, Jonas Valanciunas, who looks ready to finally break out.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kyle Lowry	Cory Joseph	Delon Wright	Fred VanVieet
SG	DeMar DeRozan	Norman Powell
SF	DeMarre Carroll	Terrence Ross	Bruno Caboclo
PF	Jared Sullinger	Patrick Patterson	Pascal Siakam
C	Jonas Valanciunas	Lucas Nogueira	Jakob Poeltl

8

Utah (Last season: 40-40)
Pace: 93.3 (30) OffRtg: 103.2 (17) DefRtg: 101.4 (7) NetRtg: +1.8 (12)
Despite Utah's strong defensive capabilities, the team struggled to score during stretches of last season. That should change with their recent additions of George Hill and Joe Johnson. The point guard position no longer needs to be addressed and the return of Dante Exum can only bolster their depth. While many expected this team to break out last season, could it be their year this time?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	George Hill	Dante Exum	Shelvin Mack	Raul Neto
SG	Rodney Hood	Alec Burks
SF	Gordon Hayward	Joe Johnson	Joe Ingles
PF	Derrick Favors	Trey Lyles	Boris Diaw	Joel Bolomboy
C	Rudy Gobert	Jeff Withey

9

Portland (Last season: 43-38)
Pace: 98.3 (13) OffRtg: 106.2 (7) DefRtg: 105.7 (20) NetRtg: +0.5 (13)
Although many projected them to be a lottery team after gutting almost their entire core last season, Portland defied the odds and made it all the way to the Conference Semi-Finals. This time around, they're keeping their guys; locking up C.J. McCollum, Allen Crabbe, Meyers Leonard and Moe Harkless, along with newly acquisitions, Evan Turner and Festus Ezeli. However, will it be $350 million well spent?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Damian Lillard	Shabazz Napier
SG	C.J. McCollum	Allen Crabbe	Pat Connaughton
SF	Moe Harkless	Evan Turner	Jake Layman
PF	Al-Farouq Aminu	Meyers Leonard	Noah Vonleh
C	Mason Plumlee	Ed Davis	Festus Ezeli

10

Memphis (Last season: 42-38)
Pace: 95.6 (27) OffRtg: 102.8 (21) DefRtg: 104.9 (19) NetRtg: -2.1 (20)
The Grizzlies successfully re-signed Mike Conley to a whopping 5-yr, $152 million deal, and at the same time, swooped Chandler Parsons, whom should address their outside shooting concerns. Big man, Marc Gasol, is returning from a foot injury that ruled him out last season, and the Grizzlies also have a new rookie coach in Dave Fizdale. They may start off slow, but nonetheless, expect this veteran ball club to give trouble to any team they face.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Mike Conley	Wade Baldwin	Andrew Harrison
SG	Tony Allen	Vince Carter	Troy Daniels
SF	Chandler Parsons	James Ennis	Troy Williams
PF	JaMychal Green	Zach Randolph	Deyonta Davis	Jarell Martin
C	Marc Gasol	Brandan Wright

11

New York (Last season: 32-49)
Pace: 95.9 (24) OffRtg: 102.1 (25) DefRtg: 104.8 (18) NetRtg: -2.7 (22)
The good news for Knicks fans is that they got Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. The bad news is that it's not 2011. Considering this team literally have no depth, health will be the ultimate factor in how far they go this season.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Derrick Rose	Brandon Jennings	Sasha Vujacic
SG	Courtney Lee	Justin Holiday	Ron Baker
SF	Carmelo Anthony	Lance Thomas	Mindaugas Kuzminskas
PF	Kristaps Porzingis	Maurice Ndour
C	Joakim Noah	Kyle O'Quinn	Guillermo Hernangomez	Marshall Plumlee

12

Oklahoma City (Last season: 54-26)
Pace: 99.4 (8) OffRtg: 110.1 (2) DefRtg: 103.3 (12) NetRtg: +6.8 (3)
My condolences to the Thunder fan base. For what it's worth, Russell Westbrook did commit to a 3-yr extension, and given how he played when KD was out with a foot injury a few seasons back, he is going to be a bull in a China shop. Opposing defenders: best to steer clear of his path.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Russell Westbrook	Cameron Payne	Semaj Christon
SG	Victor Oladipo	Alex Abrines	Anthony Morrow
SF	Andre Roberson	Kyle Singler	Josh Huestis
PF	Domantas Sabonis	Ersan Ilyasova	Nick Collison
C	Steven Adams	Enes Kanter	Joffrey Lauvergne

13

Charlotte (Last season: 46-34)
Pace: 97.7 (18) OffRtg: 104.7 (9) DefRtg: 101.9 (9) NetRtg: +2.9 (9)
Losing Jeremy Lin and Al Jefferson in free agency hurt the Hornet's bench but they are still very good defensively, especially with MKG fully recovered from his shoulder injury. Charlotte really excelled when Steve Clifford made use of the team's floor spacing, and if Roy Hibbert can regain any form he had back in Indiana, then this team could make some serious noise in the East.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kemba Walker	Ramon Sessions	Brian Roberts	Aaron Harrison
SG	Nicolas Batum	Marco Belinelli
SF	Michael Kidd-Gilchrist	Jeremy Lamb
PF	Marvin Williams	Frank Kaminsky	Christian Wood
C	Roy Hibbert	Cody Zeller	Spencer Hawes

14

Chicago (Last season: 40-40)
Pace: 98.3 (12) OffRtg: 101.6 (26) DefRtg: 103.6 (14) NetRtg: -2.1 (19)
Just when the Bulls looked like they were going to blow it all up, they went and signed the two least likely candidates for Fred Hoiberg's up-tempo style of play. It's an understatement to say they have some spacing concerns, and it's another to see how Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade, and Jimmy Butler will all fit in.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Rajon Rondo	Michael Carter-Williams	Jerian Grant
SG	Dwyane Wade	Denzel Valentine	Isaiah Canaan
SF	Jimmy Butler	Doug McDermott	Paul Zipser
PF	Taj Gibson	Nikola Mirotic	Bobby Portis
C	Robin Lopez	Cristiano Felicio

15

Atlanta (Last season: 48-32)
Pace: 99.3 (9) OffRtg: 103.2 (15) DefRtg: 98.6 (2) NetRtg: +4.6 (6)
Unfortunately for the Hawks, they weren't able to retain Al Horford despite trading away Jeff Teague to create financial flexibility. Instead, they'll now roll with Dennis Schroder as their starting point guard and Dwight Howard as Horford's replacement. Hawks fans will be hoping Howard's homecoming could reignite the big man, reminiscence of his Orlando days.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Dennis Schroder	Malcolm Delaney
SG	Kyle Korver	Tim Hardaway Jr.
SF	Kent Bazemore	Thabo Sefolosha	Taurean Prince	DeAndre Bembry
PF	Paul Millsap	Mike Scott	Mike Muscala	Kris Humphries
C	Dwight Howard	Tiago Splitter	Walter Tavares

16

Detroit (Last season: 43-37)
Pace: 97.5 (19) OffRtg: 103.2 (16) DefRtg: 103.4 (13) NetRtg: -0.2 (15)
Detroit really came into the scene last season when Andre Drummond finally took it up a notch and made his first All-Star appearance. With Playoff experiences now under their belts, this young, rising team will be looking to build off their successful season. Losing Reggie Jackson to begin the season will be no easy task however.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Reggie Jackson	Ish Smith	Beno Udrih
SG	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope	Darrun Hilliard	Michael Gbinije
SF	Marcus Morris	Stanley Johnson	Reggie Bullock
PF	Tobias Harris	Jon Leuer	Henry Ellenson
C	Andre Drummond	Aron Baynes	Boban Marjanovic

17

Houston (Last season: 39-41)
Pace: 100.0 (7) OffRtg: 105.2 (8) DefRtg: 106.1 (22) NetRtg: -0.8 (16)
The Rockets were a complete disaster last season, from the firing of Kevin McHale, to the failed trade of Ty Lawson, and the falling out with Dwight Howard. The good news is they still have James Harden and made some decent signings in Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon, both whom should be terrific fits in new coach, Mike D'Antoni's high-octane offense. The problem for this team still lies on the other end. Sure they will score a lot, but how will they stop the opponent from scoring on them?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Patrick Beverley	Tyler Ennis
SG	James Harden	Eric Gordon
SF	Trevor Ariza	Corey Brewer	K.J. McDaniels	Sam Dekker
PF	Ryan Anderson	Montrezl Harrell	Kyle Wiltjer
C	Clint Capela	Nene Hilario	Chinanu Onuaku

18

Denver (Last season: 33-48)
Pace: 98.1 (15) OffRtg: 102.8 (20) DefRtg: 106.5 (25) NetRtg: -3.7 (26)
Denver is one of those teams that can go anywhere from lottery to a Playoff birth. They have an incredible depth of talent and a very attractive young core featuring Emmanuel Mudiay, Gary Harris, Jusuf Nurkic, and Nikola Jokic. With so many other pieces available, it would not be surprising to see them make a splash before the trade deadline.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Emmanuel Mudiay	Jameer Nelson
SG	Gary Harris	Will Barton	Jamal Murray	Malik Beasley
SF	Danilo Gallinari	Wilson Chandler	Juan Hernangomez
PF	Nikola Jokic	Kenneth Faried	Darrell Arthur
C	Jusuf Nurkic

19

Dallas (Last season: 41-39)
Pace: 96.6 (22) OffRtg: 104.7 (10) DefRtg: 104.3 (16) NetRtg: +0.5 (14)
You have to feel sorry for Dirk Nowitzki. I mean the man has taken pay cut after pay cut in order for the franchise to go after the big names in free agency. Unfortunately, Dallas failed again and are now stuck with Golden State's "leftovers". For Nowitzki, however, at least he got paid this time.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Deron Williams	J.J. Barea	Devin Harris
SG	Wesley Matthews	Seth Curry
SF	Harrison Barnes	Justin Anderson	Nicolas Brussino	Dorian Finney-Smith
PF	Dirk Nowitzki	Dwight Powell	Quincy Acy
C	Andrew Bogut	Salah Mejri	A.J. Hammons

20

Minnesota (Last season: 28-52)
Pace: 97.4 (20) OffRtg: 103.9 (13) DefRtg: 107.0 (27) NetRtg: -3.1 (23)
There is no other team right now with a higher ceiling than the Timberwolves and they're about to get a whole lot better with defensive-minded head coach, Tom Thibodeau, calling the shots. Last season, Karl-Anthony Towns proved that he was the real deal and both Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine showed their scoring capabilities. The inexperience in the team could cost them a few games but it's not far-fetched to think that they could make their very first playoff appearance since 2004. Take a seat folks, we're about to watch a dynasty in the making...

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Ricky Rubio	Kris Dunn	Tyus Jones	John Lucas
SG	Zach LaVine	Brandon Rush
SF	Andrew Wiggins	Shabazz Muhammad
PF	Gorgui Dieng	Nemanja Bjelica	Adreian Payne
C	Karl-Anthony Towns	Cole Aldrich	Jordan Hill	Nikola Pekovic

21

Washington (Last season: 39-41)
Pace: 100.5 (5) OffRtg: 102.8 (19) DefRtg: 103.7 (15) NetRtg: -0.9 (17)
An underwhelming offseason for a team that under-performed last season. Perhaps Scott Brooks could change their fortunes or will Bradley Beal finally stay healthy for a full season after signing a max deal? Should they make the playoffs, consider it a successful season.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	John Wall	Trey Burke
SG	Bradley Beal	Marcus Thornton	Tomas Satoransky
SF	Otto Porter	Kelly Oubre	Danuel House
PF	Markieff Morris	Andrew Nicholson
C	Marcin Gortat	Ian Mahinmi	Jason Smith	Daniel Ochefu

22

Sacramento (Last season: 32-48)
Pace: 102.1 (1) OffRtg: 103.8 (14) DefRtg: 106.4 (24) NetRtg: -2.7 (21)
The Kings made some under-the-radar moves this offseason, signing veterans Arron Afflalo, Matt Barnes, and Anthony Tolliver. It's clear they're pushing for more spacing in order to allow DeMarcus Cousins room to operate in the paint. Head coach, Dave Joerger, seems to already be getting along with Cousins, so fans can only hope that management doesn't do anything stupid to ruin that relationship.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Darren Collison	Ty Lawson
SG	Arron Afflalo	Ben McLemore	Garrett Temple	Malachi Richardson
SF	Rudy Gay	Omri Casspi
PF	Matt Barnes	Anthony Tolliver	Skal Labissiere
C	DeMarcus Cousins	Willie Cauley-Stein	Kosta Koufos	Georgios Papagiannis

23

New Orleans (Last season: 30-50)
Pace: 98.9 (11) OffRtg: 103.0 (18) DefRtg: 106.6 (26) NetRtg: -3.6 (25)
The Pelicans would've ranked higher if it weren't for starters, Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans, expected begin the season on the sidelines. Health has plagued the New Orleans team for the past few seasons, including their franchise player, Anthony Davis, who has yet to play in a full season. One can only imagine just how good they truly can be if everyone was on the court.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Jrue Holiday	Tim Frazier	Langston Galloway
SG	E'Twaun Moore	Buddy Hield	Lance Stephenson
SF	Tyreke Evans	Solomon Hill	Quincy Pondexter	Dante Cunningham
PF	Anthony Davis	Terrence Jones	Chuck Diallo
C	Omer Asik	Alexis Ajinca

24

Milwaukee (Last season: 33-47)
Pace: 96.5 (23) OffRtg: 102.3 (24) DefRtg: 105.7 (21) NetRtg: -3.4 (24)
The Bucks really took the league by surprise when they drafted Thon Maker, whom many projected to be a late first-round pick. Although this team has all the makings to be a match-up nightmare with their freakish length and size, that all came crashing down when they lost arguably their best floor spacer, and leading scorer last season, in Khris Middleton, whom will be sidelined for six months due to a hamstring injury.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Matthew Dellavedova	Malcolm Brogdon
SG	Khris Middleton	Tony Snell	Rashad Vaughn	Jason Terry
SF	Giannis Antetokounmpo	Steve Novak
PF	Jabari Parker	Mirza Teletovic	Michael Beasley	Thon Maker
C	Miles Plumlee	Greg Monroe	John Henson

25

Phoenix (Last season: 22-58)
Pace: 100.6 (4) OffRtg: 99.4 (28) DefRtg: 107.3 (28) NetRtg: -8.0 (28)
Just when they thought they had solved their back-court logjam a few seasons ago, along came Devin Booker who really shined when Eric Bledsoe went down. Much like the Nuggets, the Suns have an incredible amount of potential talent on their roster rounded out by some proven veterans. With a drama-free offseason, expect the Suns to bounce back after last season's catastrophe.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Eric Bledsoe	Brandon Knight	Tyler Ulis
SG	Devin Booker	Leandro Barbosa	John Jenkins
SF	T.J. Warren	P.J. Tucker
PF	Jared Dudley	Marquese Chriss	Dragan Bender
C	Tyson Chandler	Alex Len	Alan Williams

26

Miami (Last season: 47-33)
Pace: 95.8 (26) OffRtg: 104.2 (11) DefRtg: 101.5 (8) NetRtg: +2.7 (10)
After calling Dwyane Wade's bluff, I'm sure Pat Riley and the rest of the world were left gobsmacked when he signed with the Bulls. Things will definitely not feel right knowing that Wade County is no more. As if that wasn't enough, Pat Riley then recently addressed Chris Bosh's health, stating that his career in South Beach was over. Miami's lineup looks great defensively, but they'll have a hard time scoring, especially losing their top two scorers from last season. It remains to be seen whether Dragic and Whiteside can carry the load, or if Dion Waiters can fill in some big shoes left behind.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Goran Dragic	Tyler Johnson
SG	Josh Richardson	Dion Waiters	Wayne Ellington	Rodney McGruder
SF	Justise Winslow	James Johnson	Luke Babbitt
PF	Derrick Williams	Josh McRoberts	Udonis Haslem	Chris Bosh
C	Hassan Whiteside	Willie Reed

27

L.A. Lakers (Last season: 16-64)
Pace: 98.0 (16) OffRtg: 98.8 (29) DefRtg: 109.5 (30) NetRtg: -10.7 (30)
With the Kobe farewell tour done and dusted, the Lakers can finally go into full rebuild mode. That is, until they signed veterans Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng each to a 4-yr deal. While the latter may stunt the playing time of second overall pick, Brandon Ingram, Deng will, without a doubt, be a great mentor for the rookie, much like he was for Jimmy Butler back in Chicago. This season we get to see Luke Walton's true worth as a head coach and whether or not he was simply coasting on a talented Warriors team. Furthermore, the Lakers have another top 3 protected pick in the upcoming draft, so if the wheels start to fall off during the course of the season, expect the tank to be on.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	D'Angelo Russell	Jose Calderon	Marcelo Huertas
SG	Lou Williams	Jordan Clarkson	Nick Young
SF	Luol Deng	Brandon Ingram	Metta World Peace
PF	Julius Randle	Larry Nance	Thomas Robinson
C	Timofey Mozgov	Tarik Black	Ivica Zubac

28

Orlando (Last season: 34-46)
Pace: 98.2 (14) OffRtg: 102.5 (22) DefRtg: 104.5 (17) NetRtg: -2.0 (18)
And the award for most bizarre moves this offseason goes to the Magic. They traded away promising young guard, Victor Oladipo, for Serge Ibaka, and in doing so, forced Aaron Gordon, whom mind you isn't much of an outside threat, to the three spot. They then signed Jeff Green and Bismack Biyombo, to an already crowded front-court. Oh well, as a consolation prize, Orlando did hire a very good head coach in Frank Vogel, so maybe he could work his magic - get it?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Elfrid Payton	D.J. Augustin	C.J. Watson
SG	Evan Fournier	Jodie Meeks	C.J. Wilcox
SF	Aaron Gordon	Mario Hezonja	Damjan Rudez
PF	Serge Ibaka	Jeff Green	Arinze Onuaku
C	Nikola Vucevic	Bismack Biyombo	Stephen Zimmerman

29

Brooklyn (Last season: 21-59)
Pace: 97.3 (21) OffRtg: 100.9 (27) DefRtg: 108.3 (29) NetRtg: -7.5 (27)
You know the saying where if you don't have anything nice to say then don't say it at all? Well, let's just leave it at that..

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Jeremy Lin	Greivis Vasquez	Isaiah Whitehead
SG	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson	Randy Foye	Joe Harris	Caris LeVert
SF	Bojan Bogdanovic	Sean Kilpatrick
PF	Trevor Booker	Luis Scola	Chris McCullough	Anthony Bennett
C	Brook Lopez	Justin Hamilton

30

Philadelphia (Last season: 10-70)
Pace: 100.3 (6) OffRtg: 96.4 (30) DefRtg: 106.3 (23) NetRtg: -9.9 (29)
Just when things were looking to be sunny in Philly, down goes their number one draft pick. Losing their primary ball-handler definitely puts a dampen into the Sixers team. And who knows how long Ben Simmons will be out for. Knowing the Sixers, they may even elect to sit him for the entire season despite a recovery time-frame of three months. Oh yeah, there's also another problem with this team - like who will be the odd man out in their ongoing front-court logjam?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Jerryd Bayless	Sergio Rodriguez	T.J. McConnell
SG	Gerald Henderson	Nik Stauskas	Timothe Luwawu
SF	Robert Covington	Jerami Grant	Hollis Thompson
PF	Ben Simmons	Dario Saric	Richaun Holmes
C	Joel Embiid	Jahlil Okafor	Nerlens Noel

**vtcha** · 10-16-2016, 04:32 AM

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

What did the Timberwolves do over the summer?

On April 20, 2016, the Timberwolves hired Tom Thibodeau as coach and president of basketball operations. Thibodeau was the most coveted coach on the market, and will no doubt, bring an unparalleled intensity and hard-driving approach to a franchise that has not made the playoffs since 2004. Thibodeau's defensive mindset will be sure to catapult a young Wolves team that was ranked 28th last season in defensive efficiency.

In the draft, Minnesota had the 5th overall pick and drafted Providence guard, Kris Dunn. While there was overwhelming speculation that the trade would be flipped in exchange for Bulls All-Star, Jimmy Butler, due to Thibodeau's ties with the former player, Dunn was ultimately kept. While Dunn was limited during the Summer League because of a concussion, he was brilliant in his two game appearances, averaging an impressive 24 points while shooting 54.3% from the field.

In free agency, the Timberwolves made some low-key signings to bolster their frontcourt depth, adding Cole Aldrich and Jordan Hill. They also signed Warriors swingman, Brandon Rush, in an effort to address the 3-point shooting, which was a concern last year after averaging only 33.8% as a team.

Owner Glen Taylor said Nikola Pekovic will not play for the Wolves this season as a result of his ongoing foot problem and it is possible the team may buy him out. Pekovic has one year and $12 million left on his deal and there is also speculation that he may never play in the NBA again.

Furthermore, probably one of the more bigger storylines during the offseason was Kevin Garnett announcing his retirement after 21 seasons in the NBA. Garnett, 40, had one year left on his deal, worth $8 million, but agreed to a contract buyout with the Timberwolves. Regarded as one of the greatest two-way big men ever, Garnett averaged 17.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 blocks for his career.

What happened the last time these two teams met?

Last season, Dallas swept the series 4-0, although this time around, things will be drastically different now that Thibodeau is at the helm. In the four outings last season, Dirk Nowitzki was the Mavs' leading scorer, averaging 17.3 points and connecting 2.7 from deep. As for the T'Wolves, Andrew Wiggins fared well, scoring 22.3 points while shooting 47.9% from the field.

What will be the biggest matchup?

Without a doubt, it'll be the showdown between Harrison Barnes and Andrew Wiggins. Both players are very athletic and versatile yet still have plenty of room to grow.

Barnes has stated previously that he's expecting to feel comfortable in the high-post during the season and even veteran, Dirk Nowitzki, has expressed that the young forward has the work ethic to develop into a 'great all-around player'. "I already heard all summer long whenever he was here, he's in the gym all the time," said Nowitzki. "A lot of guys come here, sign here or get traded here and they're telling me they're gym rats, but I haven't really seen many in my 18 years, but he's the one guy that walks the walk. He's there in the morning, we're working out with the guys, he goes back at night and he wants to get better."

Likewise, Wiggins has also been working on his game during the summer, with his main focus in improving his 3-point shot and ball handling. New coach, Tom Thibodeau, has even gone far as challenging the entire Wolves team to improve drastically on the defensive end. "He impressed me the way he scored against us when I was still coaching." Thibodeau said of Wiggins. "He made it look easy. I think the challenge - not only him but for his teammates - is there's going to have to be dramatic improvement defensively. You have to make a commitment in that area."

Projected starters

Mavericks: Deron Williams, Wesley Matthews, Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki, Andrew Bogut
Timberwolves: Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine, Andrew Wiggins, Gorgui Dieng, Karl-Anthony Towns

Injury Report

Mavericks: None
Timberwolves: Nikola Pekovic - out (right Achilles surgery)

How to watch

Opening night is on Monday, October 31st, on Operation Sports and FSSW. For those outside the Dallas market, NBA League Pass (online or on your TV) and 2K TV will have the game.

The Association: Dallas Mavericks

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