The start of the 2024-25 NBA season is less than three months away, and the Dallas Mavericks are a team that has improved significantly since last season.
Dallas is coming off a trip to the NBA Finals last season, and Nico Harrison’s roster construction over the last two years has been outstanding. He has put an excellent team around Luka Doncic, and this year’s team looks to be the best supporting cast he’s ever had.
Harrison has helped turn Dallas into a hot free-agency destination, and he has excelled in landing star players such as Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving. His eye for supplementary role players has been beneficial as well.
Dallas is poised to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference again next season, and one of the biggest reasons for that is the roster that Harrison has put together.
He’s building for the future and right now at the same time, and Dallas’ ability to land players on team-friendly contracts makes them a dangerous force in the Western Conference for years to come.
The Mavs have plenty of players who are on outstanding contracts, and this allows to build their roster to be serious contenders.
6. Quentin Grimes
This summer, the Dallas Mavericks traded Tim Hardaway Jr. and multiple second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons for Quentin Grimes, and while Grimes is on an expiring contract, he happens to be one of the most underpaid players on the roster.
Grimes is set to make around $4.3 million this season before becoming a restricted free agent next summer. If Grimes has a great year, the Mavs could decide to extend his contract.
Last season, Grimes averaged 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 37.2 percent from the field. This was a down year for Grimes, but he is poised to become an elite defender for the Mavs.
His defense has been excellent for some time now, and he takes pride in guarding the best player on the floor. Dallas now has multiple players who have this same mindset (Naji Marshall and Grimes), and Grimes’ shooting will also be a big help for the Mavs.
Josh Green being gone gives Grimes the perfect opportunity to thrive, and the Mavs acquired him at the perfect time considering his extremely team-friendly contract. If Grimes performs, the Mavs can extend him before the season ends.
If not, he could be set free next summer, and him being a restricted free agent gives the Mavs the opportunity to match contract offers he gets elsewhere.
