The Mavs Aren’t Good Yet, but They’re Fun Again

As you get to know me better, you will learn at least one thing about me with all certainty: I love bad basketball.
One of the Best Bad Basketball Games I watched last year was a Sunday morning game between the Nets and the Dallas Mavericks that was very heavy on Randy Foye, came down to the final seconds, and involved J.J. Barea taking over in the fourth and scoring like 11 points in a row. It was like a dream come true.
Next year, I expect the Mavs to be one of my top five favorite teams to watch in the league. Actually, let’s figure this out. The Warriors and the Celtics are exempt because I’m too invested. We’re assuming everyone is healthy.
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Milwaukee Bucks
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks are always at least kind of fun because they are so well-coached and because they have Dirk. But once they whipped together a young core out of nothing last year, they elevated to a new level of fun. An it’s just going to get better next year.
I’m not picking the Mavs to make the playoffs. There are simply too many good teams in the Western Conference that will try to make the playoffs. It’s more likely the Mavs end up as the frustrated 45 win team on the outside looking in.
But this Mavericks team is proof that you don’t necessarily need to be good to be awesome. This team is going to be a blast. It’s amazing to think that just two years ago, the Mavs were one of the most depressing teams in the league.
They were grasping at the straws of relevancy by taking one-year fliers on whatever free agents were available after constantly striking out on the biggest names on the market. They were attempting to help Dirk Nowitzki finish his career with grace by keeping him in the playoffs. But Dirk kept sticking around, and the Mavs kept striking out on everyone.
After being rejected by Deandre Jordan in the most frustrating way imaginable, the Mavs had a clear transition in their thinking. Instead of wasting their time going after the biggest free agents on the market, they signed undervalued guys like Harrison Barnes. Instead of signing veterans like Monta Ellis and Deron Williams to small deals, they took fliers on young guys like Seth Curry, Yogi Ferrell, and Salah Mejri.
And hey, they actually drafted someone! They got a lottery pick and they used it on Dennis Smith Jr., a point guard who could end up being the best player in his class. Or an undersized guard who can only score on high-volume shooting. But that’s okay! That’s better than what the ninth pick typically nets you.
They also made maybe my favorite trade last season, turning Justin Anderson and a couple of second-round picks into Nerlens Noel. Smart, fun things are happening in Dallas.
Unfortunately, it is probably too little too late for Dirk, who clearly started to slip the past couple of years. The shooting and the offensive brilliance will always be there, but any remaining athleticism is long gone.
But now, instead of leaving behind a team of aging veterans on expiring contracts (through no fault of his own, obviously), the Mavs have given Dirk the opportunity to leave behind a fun, young team with room to grow, that is awesome, even if they aren’t quite good yet.
