The point guard position has been an emphasis for the Dallas Mavericks during the first three days of free agency.
Former All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell will be added to the roster once the moratorium period ends Sunday at 11 a.m. Veteran guard Dante Exum will be re-signed to a one-year contract when he’s eligible, a person with direct knowledge of the team’s thinking confirmed to The Dallas Morning News.
The first subtraction of the offseason occurred Wednesday when veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie agreed to a one-year deal with the Charlotte Hornets.
More movement is expected since the Mavericks cannot enter the 2025-26 season with 16 players with standard contracts on their roster. The team will have to trade a player or release a player to reach the maximum allotment of 15.
Jason Kidd could have one of the deepest rotations in the NBA by the time the Mavericks open the season, especially in the frontcourt.
As of now, here’s a glimpse of what the Mavericks’ depth chart looks like after retaining Exum and adding Russell:
| Point guard | Shooting guard | Small forward | Power forward | Center |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyrie Irving | Klay Thompson | Cooper Flagg/P.J. Washington | Anthony Davis | Dereck Lively II |
| D’Angelo Russell | Max Christie | Naji Marshall | Daniel Gafford | |
| Dante Exum | Caleb Martin | Dwight Powell | ||
| Brandon Williams | Olivier-Maxence Prosper | |||
| Jaden Hardy |
PG: Kyrie Irving, D’Angelo Russell, Dante Exum, Brandon Williams, Jaden Hardy
SG: Klay Thompson, Max Christie
SF: Cooper Flagg or P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, Caleb Martin, Olivier-Maxence Prosper
PF: Anthony Davis
C: Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, Dwight Powell
Re-signing Exum was a priority for the Mavericks, who are expected to explore the trade market for Prosper to free up a roster spot, a person familiar with the team’s thinking confirmed Monday following Russell’s agreed upon deal.
When fully healthy, here’s what the starting lineup could look like: Irving, Thompson, Flagg or Washington, Davis and Lively. Kidd could go with an 11-deep roster if he decides to, but it’s hard to predict an ideal number because of unforeseen circumstances like injuries, foul trouble and shooting slumps.
Russell should serve as the starting point guard while Irving recovers from left ACL surgery and will slide into the backup role once the All-Star guard returns. Exum will likely be the backup option to begin the season with sparse minutes going to Hardy and Williams, barring unforeseen injuries.
Thompson’s main backup is Christie, who will enter his first full season with the Mavericks after being traded midseason from Los Angeles.
Small forward is one of the Mavericks’ deepest positions. Kidd could alternate between Flagg and Washington to start, depending on who works better with the first and second units. Those decisions likely won’t be decided until the team finishes training camp this fall.
Marshall and Martin will also receive reserve minutes, likely at the power forward spot since there’s no clear backup for Davis unless Washington is moved to the bench. There’s a chance Prosper will be inactive on most nights if he returns.
Last season, Kidd started the season with Gafford until Lively was inserted into the lineup following a three-game losing streak in November. Either Gafford or Lively will likely be on the floor at all times unless there’s an injury. That would force Davis to play some center, and possibly allow Powell to receive reserve minutes.
It is unclear how Irving and Davis will mesh together since there’s only a two-quarter sample size from their lone game together last season, but there should be a window for the two to build some chemistry before preparations for the playoffs begin next spring.
This analysis is entirely dependent on the team’s health, which was a major issue during the 2024-25 season. Dallas had 444 games lost due to injury, illness or suspension. Availability is known as the best ability and Dinwiddie served as the team’s version of Iron Man. He played a team-high 79 games when he was initially signed as an emergency option for point guard depth.
Dinwiddie won’t be the only player on last season’s roster missing from the team’s rotation this season. Again, one player will need to be released or traded by the start of opening night so there will be another opportunity to revisit the depth chart closer to the fall.
X/Twitter: @MikeACurtis2
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