If you itemize the Mavericks’ needs that they want to check off during training camp, it might rival a kid’s Christmas wish list in length.
So many things need attention after you miss the playoffs like last season. And while they all will get the required amount of focus from Jason Kidd and his staff, one lingering problem will no doubt overshadow all others.
Defense.
If the Mavericks’ defense doesn’t improve over last season’s wet-paper-bag impersonation, then they can forget about marked improvement over the 38-44 record they had.
To their credit, they started the process in the offseason with the acquisition of several players with high-level defensive instincts.
So when the first practice of the fall begins Wednesday, the Mavericks can expect a strong defensive tilt to everything they do.
They are being allowed to start full-team workouts two days before most teams because of the pending trip to Abu Dhabi and Madrid, where the Mavericks will play three of their four preseason games.
They depart for that 12-day journey on Sunday.
Before that, they’ll have practices Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Friday will serve as their media day to supply yearlong content for digital platforms of various news outlets.
To say the least, it’s going to be a hectic lead-up to the regular-season opener on Oct. 25 at San Antonio.
“I’m excited,” said Dwight Powell, the longest-tenured Maverick who will be entering his 10th season, all of which have been with the Mavericks save for five games at the start of his rookie season in Boston. “The energy has been amazing in the gym since I’ve been back (from the World Cup).
“I think we have – I wouldn’t say a chip on our shoulder – but we have a lot of room for improvement on last year. I think that’s in the front of our minds. We want to come out and make sure we take advantage of the opportunity.”
The Mavericks’ defense is the best candidate to be the most-improved area on the team.
In 2021-22, when they reached the Western Conference finals, they had an overall defensive rating that was sixth in the NBA. That more than made up for an offense that was in the middle of the pack in efficiency.
Last season was completely different. The defense slipped to 24th in overall rating, which was not nearly good enough even though the offense was vastly improved (sixth in offensive rating in the league).
The record reflected just how important the defensive end is.
Rest assured that Kidd and his assistant coaches will be stressing that end of the court from Day One.
To that end, the Mavericks had a productive offseason in bringing in free agent Grant Williams, who has gained a strong reputation as a smart, capable defender. They also drafted 7-1 Dereck Lively II and O-Max Prosper, both of whom were solid defenders at the college level.
How quickly than can assimilate to the NBA game is going to determine just how much they can contribute and they should see more time on the court as the season goes on.
The Mavericks also fetched veteran Dante Exum, historically a strong defensive player, out of Europe. And there is hope that young players Josh Green and Jaden Hardy take a step forward on the defensive end.
Speaking of which, another area that the Mavericks hope will be much improved will be the growth of both Green and Hardy. Both finished last season strong and flashed potential to take on bigger roles this season.
And, have we mentioned the superstars?
Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving will form what the Mavericks believe will be the best backcourt in the NBA, with the ability to create offense for themselves and everybody else on the court.
The pair had times in the final two months of the season after the trade for Irving that they stepped on each other’s toes. But that was perhaps expected during a feeling-out process.
This season should provide a much stronger base for the tandem to learn how to play off of each other and with each other.
And the trip overseas should be a great chance for the Mavericks to bond together from top to bottom. Powell, one of the few Mavericks who has vacationed in the Middle East in previous summers, said he’s a big fan of such trips.
“The Emirates, from this side, you see the lore of the incredible buildings and opulence and all that, but they’re good people over there, too,” Powell said. “And it’s rich in culture. So it’s exciting to experience that with the guys.
“Those types of road trips are good, especially for a young team, to build together and have some of those shared, worldly experiences, see different cultures and things of that nature.
“I think it counts for something on the court, as well.”
Twitter: @ESefko
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