When Theo Pinson looks back at last season, he doesn’t like dredging up most of what happened.
But the Mavericks’ guard prefers to zero in on the one thing that he remembers most: Game No. 82.
In his first NBA start, Pinson piled up a triple-double of 23 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists.
“I tried to leave a good lasting impression,” Pinson said with a big grin on Thursday.
No worries about that. And with the sting of a rough season slowly subsiding, Pinson is moving forward with an upbeat attitude, to say the least.
“I’m highly motivated, personally,” Pinson said. “Definitely, it was a humbling season for everybody. Regardless of what your situation is, it should be humbling because we didn’t get to where we wanted to get to.
“So I’m attacking the summer, taking it very seriously, trying to figure out new ways to get even better than I was.”
Pinson joined a Mavericks’ entourage that included Champ, members of the D-Town Crew and front-office personnel as Nebraska Furniture Mart and Bedgear joined forces with the team to outfit Dallas Fire-Rescue Station No. 1 with new beds, recliners, massage chairs and an entertainment center to make the most of the first responders’ rest and recovery time.
“Oh man, our first responders deserve great things to work with and getting rest and recovery is a big part of that,” Pinson said. “To give them a better experience when they are resting (is important) so they can give us a better performance out there. They do great already. But they deserve all this stuff.”
Pinson is a free agent this summer. But he believes he’s found a home in Dallas. He’s spent the last two seasons with the Mavericks working his way up from a two-way contract in 2021-22 to a veteran minimum last season.
“For sure. I love it here,” Pinson said. “They’ve been great to me. I’ve had a great time and I got a good relationship with everybody in the organization.”
The highlight came in the season finale when Pinson had career highs in virtually every category. He also had a five-game stretch before the All-Star break when he averaged 4.6 points and 2.2 assists in a relief role while playing 14 minutes per game.
This after Pinson became one of the Mavericks’ locker-room heroes for his relentless optimistic attitude and positive influence.
The next step for Pinson is to make a jump up the rotation ladder which is why he has returned to work at the Mavericks’ practice facility with numerous other young players who have returned to work.
“It really doesn’t stop,” he said. “But it’s good to be back in the gym. We didn’t have the year we wanted. You want to still be playing at this time. Definitely a lot more fun (last season). But we’re going to get back there, for sure.”
Twitter: @ESefko
Share and comment