The Dallas Mavericks started the season in fine form behind the MVP performances that Luka Doncic was putting up. They seemed ready to challenge at the top of the Western Conference and build on their Conference Finals appearance last season. However, over the last few games, they have dropped off considerably and now find themselves with their longest losing streak since Doncic’s rookie season.
The Mavericks’ answer to this conundrum has been to sign Kemba Walker after waiving Facundo Campazzo to make space. Kemba revealed that he hadn’t been contacted by any teams earlier in the year after he was waived by the Detroit Pistons. But now it seems the Mavericks have taken a chance on him, with Mark Cuban explaining the rationale behind the decision.
Mark Cuban to me on addition of Kemba Walker:
“We wanted to add some flexibility to our offense. Like last year at this point, we have great shot quality, particularly from the 3, but we have struggled to make enough of them. Kemba will give J-Kidd more offensive flexibility.”
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) November 28, 2022
“We wanted to add some flexibility to our offense. Like last year at this point, we have great shot quality, particularly from the 3, but we have struggled to make enough of them. Kemba will give J-Kidd more offensive flexibility.”
Walker played 37 games for the New York Knicks last season, averaging 11 points in 25 minutes per game. Even though he is a 4-time All-Star, Kemba is no longer the player he once was. His injuries have taken a toll on him, and even though Dallas seems to have thought this through, it’s not easy to say that this will be a game-changer for the team.
Will Signing Kemba Walker Make A Big Difference For The Dallas Mavericks?
The Mavericks thrived last season after Spencer Dinwiddie arrived, with their 3 ball-handlers taking turns at running the offense. Jalen Brunson left for the New York Knicks in free agency, and that definitely has been a factor in the team’s poor performances. On the surface, Kemba seems like a good addition, but his role will likely only involve running the offense for a few minutes to ease the load on Luka Doncic’s shoulders.
The Mavericks are without a win when Luka Doncic doesn’t score more than 30 points, which is just unsustainable. They need a spark, and perhaps Kemba can provide that for them. The major issue has been with three-point shots not falling, so the way their system is designed, the efficiency numbers need to go up. Jason Kidd might want to consider tweaking his lineups as well. Whatever the case may be, the Mavericks have a lot more to figure out that just adding Walker is not going to fix.
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