The Dallas Mavericks are coming off an appearance in the NBA Finals and have already had one of the most successful offseasons of any team in the league, but there are still a few free agents left on the market who could find their way to Dallas and make an impact next year.
Dallas opened the offseason by making two meaningful signings early in the free agency period. The team nabbed forward Naji Marshall to a three-year contract worth $27 million and guard Klay Thompson to a three-year contract worth $50 million, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
While many Mavericks supporters may want the team to take a swing on remaining free agents like Demar Derozan, Miles Bridges, or Tyus Jones, the team now has to work with less financial flexibility due to its previous signings.
Dallas currently has roughly $4.25 million remaining of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, meaning the team can sign one player on that yearly average with any other contract required to be worth the yearly minimum.
Despite these restrictions, there are still some players available who could be targets:
Gary Trent Jr., Shooting Guard, 6-foot-5-inches and 204 pounds
Trent had a solid season for the Toronto Raptors. He played an average of 28.1 minutes per game, scoring 13.7 points while picking up an average of 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
Dallas would also continue the offseason trend of adding players who can make open shots, which was created by guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Trent shot 39.3% from the three-point line overall and an impressive 51.3% on shots considered “wide open” by the NBA.
The shooting guard would also match the Mavericks’ timeline as a player who is still incredibly young by NBA standards. At just 25 years old, he already has significant experience in the league after playing for six years on two separate teams.
Due to the current NBA landscape, Trent is unlikely to sign a long-term contract with a team that will secure him any significant amount of money. It remains to be seen whether he is able to secure the full MLE from a team.
Although Trent is not the most likely to sign with the remaining portion of the non-taxpayer MLE, Dallas would benefit if it could convince the shooting guard to take a one-year deal on a contending team before re-entering free agency after next season.
Daniel Theis, Forward/Center, 6-foot-8-inches and 245 pounds
Theis spent the 2023-2024 season as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers and Indiana Pacers, appearing in 60 total games and finishing the year with averages of 16.9 minutes, 6.3 points, and 4.1 rebounds per game.
Dallas could once again continue the trend of adding shooters to the roster with the addition of Theis, who shot 36.6% from behind the three-point line overall and 42.1% on “wide-open” three-point attempts.
Due to his age and past performance, Theis is also likely to be available on an incredibly cheap contract for a team that needs a third-string big man.
At 32 years old, Theis is unlikely to be a beneficial signing for a team that is not actively in the hunt for an NBA championship unless he agrees to accept a minimum contract, meaning the Mavericks could entice him to play meaningful, albeit likely very few, minutes on a contending team next season.
Dallas would be almost guaranteed to lock in the German big man with the remaining $4.25 million from its MLE or could even look to pick him up on a minimum contract.
One aspect of the Mavericks potentially signing Theis is the effect it could have on the Mavericks’ willingness to trade forward Maxi Kleber.
While Kleber may not be the biggest draw in a potential trade, as he averaged just 4.4 points and shot 41% from the field, his $11 million salary in each of the next two seasons could be used to help the Mavericks meet any financial differences with another team.
Dallas could evaluate whether it would be valuable to sign Theis to a cheap contract and then shop Kleber in trade talks alongside another player or pick to upgrade the roster once again.
Whether the Mavericks decide to sign Trent, Theis, or another free agent, the team will enter the 2024-25 season in high regard around the league due to its success last year.
Dallas currently has the seventh-best odds in the entire NBA to win the 2025 championship, trailing only the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and Minnesota Timberwolves, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
