The Dallas Mavericks have gone through major upheaval this winter which saw Luka Doncic get traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Alongside Doncic, players like Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris, and Quentin Grimes left the franchise. However, there was a sea of arrivals with most players secured under long-term contracts.
The major question facing the Dallas Mavericks this summer is the future of Kyrie Irving. After re-signing with the Mavericks in 2023 to a dead market, his situation is far more secure this summer. Not only does he have a player option for next season, but he also has maximum leverage as the only perimeter creator on the Mavericks roster right now.
This seems like a summer where Dallas stays mostly consistent with their current roster, but it entirely depends on the decision Irving makes this season.
Players Under Contract
Anthony Davis – $54,126,380Â
Klay Thompson – $16,666,667Â
Daniel Gafford – $14,386,320
PJ Washington – $14,152,174Â
Caleb Martin – $9,594,044Â
Naji Marshall – $9,000,000Â
Max Christie – $7,714,286Â
Jaden Hardy – $6,000,000
Dereck Lively II – $5,253,360
Olivier Maxence-Prosper – $3,007,080Â
The Mavericks will have a lot of their current roster spill into next season, with 10 players under contract. The major development is Anthony Davis entering the first year of the supermax extension he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers before getting traded. Â
The Mavericks have most of their key rotation locked up for next season. Many believe that was the motivation when they traded Quentin Grimes to the Philadelphia 76ers for Caleb Martin, as Martin had a multi-year contract compared to Grimes who was headed into restricted free agency and could fetch more than the $9.5 million Martin will get.
Jaden Hardy also jumps up to making $6 million after the end of his rookie contract. Funnily, he was drafted just one pick after Max Christie in the 2022 NBA Draft, with Christie entering the second year of his contract due to the differing nature of his rookie contract.Â
Rookies from the 2023 Draft Class enter the final guaranteed year of their contracts, as Dereck Lively II and Olivier Maxence-Prosper are expected to stay with the franchise. Otherwise, it’s a year of stability for a franchise that had quite an unstable winter.
Player Options
Kyrie Irving – $43,962,963
Dwight Powell – $4,000,000
Kyrie Irving’s potential free agency is the biggest question plaguing the Mavericks right now. He is not expected to pick up the option in his contract worth $43.9 million, as he is guaranteed to fetch a longer-term deal with a bigger sum as a free agent. He doesn’t even need some other team to join the bidding, the Mavericks simply can’t afford to let him go.
With Doncic gone, Irving is carrying a much bigger load. The team will anyway have to make a move to supplement his production, but that’s after ensuring Irving stays on the franchise with a new contract. It seems like a three-year max could be on the table to align his contract with Anthony Davis, giving the Mavericks a three-year window to compete for titles, provided neither player declines massively into their mid-30s.
Dwight Powell will likely pick up his option and remain with the franchise as one of the longest-tenured players with a single franchise in the NBA right now.
Free Agents
Dante Exum – UFA
Spencer Dinwiddie – UFA
These are two significant free agents for the Mavericks. Dante Exum has spent a lot of time out with injury over his two years with the franchise but is someone who has given them solid minutes almost always, outside his struggles in the 2024 Playoffs. How he ends this season will be crucial for his future, as his market value could still greatly vary.
Spencer Dinwiddie could be a veteran point guard who entices some teams, but it seems likely he just extends on a slightly more lucrative contract with the only franchise he’s had consistent winning success with. He’s also a necessary guard option for the team and has continuity within their system, so his return is likelier than Exum’s.
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