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The 2021-22 NBA season will attempt to be as close to a normal NBA season as possible after two years playing through a pandemic. The COVID situation in the United States has not improved as much as expected, but the league expects to get a full 82 games in while pushing for its players, coaches and staff to get vaccinated.
DKNation will be going through all 30 teams ahead of the season, looking at how the roster shapes up for the 2021-22 campaign. Here we take a look at the Dallas Mavericks, who are banking on Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis and new head coach Jason Kidd to deliver another championship for the franchise.
Dallas Mavericks 2021-22 Outlook
Key additions: Reggie Bullock, Sterling Brown
The Mavericks brought in another three-point shooter with Bullock. It’ll be important for the team to space the floor well when Doncic and Porzingis are the primary focus offensively, so look for the veteran to have a good season. Brown provides depth on the perimeter and will get a lot of run during the regular season.
Key departures: None
The Mavericks didn’t lose any key pieces, bringing back Tim Hardaway Jr. and Boban Marjanovic in free agency. Dallas didn’t have much cap space to go chase a player like Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan, but will need some growth from Dwight Powell and Jalen Brunson to show it doesn’t need a third star to compete.
Season expectations
For the last two seasons, the Los Angeles Clippers have bounced the Mavericks in the first round. Last season’s loss was particularly poor, as Dallas lost three home games in the series and ultimately lost Game 7. The expectations under new head coach Jason Kidd are clear; make the playoffs and win one or two playoff series.
Fantasy basketball player to watch: Jalen Brunson
As mentioned above, the Mavericks need to get a third star or third star production from somewhere. Brunson, who averaged 12.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last season in largely a bench role, is a natural spot to start. The Villanova product is a rising player on both ends of the floor and more importantly, doesn’t shy away from big situations. He’s a great candidate to run alongside Doncic in the backcourt. Look for Brunson to be a solid value play in DFS lineups and could be a lottery ticket in the late rounds of fantasy drafts.