Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press
The Dallas Mavericks set out to strengthen their defense around Luka Doncic and his historic scoring attack this off season.
However, here is the Mavericks, ninth in the Western Conference, ranking 27th in the general defense, and Kristaps Porzingis’ steady decline at that end of the room seems to be the biggest dilemma this front office is facing now.
In fact, Dallas has quietly measured Porzingis’ trading market, according to league sources, while the Mavericks have begun to reassess whether the 25-year-old can really support Doncic as a second choice in a candidate. “They kicked all the players in the squad who aren’t called Luka,” said a person with knowledge of Dallas’s thinking. “Do you know [president of basketball operations] Donnie [Nelson]; they are always moving. “
“They definitely sniffed it,” an assistant general manager told B / R. “They are taking the temperature, because they know that at some point this is going to change.”
Porzingis was announced as Doncic’s ideal running companion just six months ago, when he won the second team’s All-Bubble award after averaging 30.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, when shooting 38 , 1 percent away. He was then nothing short of a force in the opening round against the Clippers – that is, until a ruptured meniscus ended his season, and the October surgery set him aside until January 13.
His shot remained effective, as he is connected in 35.2 percent of his triples, very close to his career average. He is 14th between centers in PERbut the numbers paint a terrible picture defensively – especially after Dallas’s beating on the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, when Porzingis sat with tension in his lower back. Mavs have a less-4.7 net rating when it is on the ground.
In those 509 minutes, Dallas awarded 119.5 points for 100 possessions, a mark that would make the Mavericks almost two full points worse than the 30th ranked Sacramento Kings. When he was off the court, Dallas’ defense rose to a petty score of 108.7 in 840 minutes coming in on Monday, a good one for the top five in the league. And despite all the legitimate criticisms that Doncic has previously made, the defense of the Mavericks holds enemies to 111.0 points for 100 possessions when Doncic is on the court and Porzingis is out.
Nick Wass / Associated Press
The ship can straighten up while Porzingis regains strength in his right knee. It was only on December 29 when he fully participated in a practice. But early returns have been worrisome, especially since Dallas was designed to have its 7’3 “giant chasing the back row. He has been much more of a spectator than a performer on the edge, and also has a growing history of injuries.
“It seems that it is impossible for him to position himself. He looks like a scarecrow out there,” said a Western Conference executive. “You don’t expect him to be necessarily great since the jump, but I’ve watched Porzingis a few times this year and I’m not sure if the guy can protect anyone.”
For now, Dallas seems at first interested in adding a center to help supplement Porzingis, the sources said. The Mavericks surrounded Andre Drummond while the Cleveland Cavaliers seek to move in a different direction from the front line, but Dallas has expressed no interest in parting ways with Porzingis in these particular negotiations. “They want a great match with him,” said a league source. “Obviously with physicality, rebound, resistance.”
The Mavericks were described as one of the most active teams in these initial exploratory and commercial discussions around the league. After acquiring Josh Richardson in the off-season and climbing Josh Green and Tyler Bey (via Philadelphia 76ers), Dallas continued to seek more shot and perimeter defense around Doncic as well, the sources said.
It is important to remember that injuries and COVID-19 protocols have atrophied the Mavericks. Maxi Kleber and Richardson each lost a few games. But the latter was converting just 29.6 percent of his bottom looks before Monday’s 3-7 performance, and the giant Dallas attack, which posted the most efficient attack in NBA history last season, now it occupies only 26th place in three percentage points.
What further hinders these developments by Porzingis is his close relationship with Doncic. The Mavericks attacked Porzingis in the hope that he would create a decade-long team with his NBA ballroom general, and the two, in turn, developed a strong connection off the court. They were often seen together in the pool during the Orlando bubble, and whenever there was friction regarding Doncic’s own responsibility during the film sessions, Porzingis remained loyal to his co-star. “He almost defends Luka,” said a person with knowledge of the situation.
Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press
There is also the question of what Porzingis would bring in return. “Who are the teams that you could, in theory, see going after him?” asked the Western Conference executive. “I cannot say that it is a contract that I would pay to assume.”
After this season, three more remain in Porzingis’ five-year and $ 158 million deal.
“I think maybe you could get it out of someone protected by lottery first,” said a capologist, but that would probably only happen if Dallas got other unwanted salaries back. If the Mavericks are looking for contributing players, perhaps Dallas could sign a team like Chicago or Charlotte – with a mix of young and veteran players on considerable contracts – who may be looking to take the same shot that Dallas did before.
For now, Porzingis’ discussions of the Mavericks remain preliminary. But for Dallas to bridge that gap – between its current position and the team’s pre-season expectations of competing for the advantage of playing at home in the playoffs – league executives hope these initial talks will continue. Finding a second bona fide option for Doncic is critical to optimizing the young superstar, and Dallas can still clear the maximum space this coming season. If John Collins reaches the restricted free agency, expect the Mavericks to make a meaningful offer, according to league sources.
Dallas once expected to use that room for Giannis Antetokounmpo, forming a triumvirate that would have made the Western Conference wince. Porzingis now needs a sudden turnaround to recover any part of his former reputation. “I understand why the Mavericks may be having buyer’s remorse,” said an Eastern Conference official.
* All statistics via NBA.com, unless otherwise noted.
Jake Fischer covers the NBA for Bleacher Report and is the author of Built to Lose: How the NBA’s Tanking Era Changed the League Forever.