Dallas Mavericks Expected To Bench Christian Wood In Favor Of Starting JaVale McGee And Spencer Dinwiddie

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Credit: @NBA (Twitter)

The Dallas Mavericks have made some interesting offseason moves to give Luka Doncic a better core to battle in the Western Conference next season. After a Western Conference Finals run in the 2021-22 season, the Mavericks have added JaVale McGee and Christian Wood to the squad, with Jalen Brunson leaving the team

Wood is possibly the biggest addition the Mavericks have made this summer, with the stretch-five complementing Luka’s game as ideally as a center in the league today can. He can stretch the floor, be in the pick-and-roll with Luka, and can provide more rim protection than they had last season. 

However, Tim Cato of The Athletic has revealed that Wood will be coming off the bench after Jason Kidd intends to start Spencer Dinwiddie and JaVale McGee. Dinwiddie starting at the shooting guard means Reggie Bullock or Tim Hardaway Jr. will take the small forward position on the team, leading Dorian Finney-Smith to play as the power forward alongside McGee at the center. 

Jason Kidd has declared that Spencer Dinwiddie and JaVale McGee will be starters, joining incumbent starters Dončić and Dorian Finney-Smith. I’ve been told the team’s planning to keep Reggie Bullock as the fifth starter. As things currently stand, the team’s splashiest acquisition this summer, Christian Wood, will come off the bench. (h/t Tim Cato – The Athletic)

This is a very odd move as the Mavericks could have a stronger lineup if they went for two bigs and started both Wood and McGee. Wood’s shooting allows him to be on the court with McGee as Doncic can have 2 PnR partners on the floor with him. 

With Brunson gone, there is no ball-handler for the bench rotation anymore. Dinwiddie would have been perfect in that role, with spot-up shooters like Bullock or THJ starting alongside Luka. The Mavs could even have a starting 5 without McGee. There is versatility in the roster, hopefully, the Mavs can find the right combination of starters and repeat their form from this season in 2022-23.  

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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