Fansided

NBA post-free agency power rankings

By Brendon Kleen

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers attends a quarterfinal game of the 2018 NBA Summer League between the Lakers and the Detroit Pistons at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 15, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers attends a quarterfinal game of the 2018 NBA Summer League between the Lakers and the Detroit Pistons at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 15, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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BROOKLYN, NY- JUNE 21: Luka Doncic is photographed after being selected number three overall during the 2018 2018 NBA Draft on June 21, 2018 in Brooklyn, NY. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Matteo Marchi/NBAE via Getty Images) /

25. Dallas Mavericks

We really shouldn’t let smart teams tank.

It felt so contrary to normalcy even as it happened, with owner Mark Cuban publicly commenting on the good sense it made for his team to intentionally lose for the first time in years. Throughout the year, it was clear the Mavericks weren’t competing at their highest level. And it paid off.

Armed with 2017 No. 9 overall pick Dennis Smith Jr., Dallas added to its stockpile by trading up to draft Slovenian sensation Luka Doncic with the third pick in the 2018 draft. The fit between those two will be uneven at first (neither of them currently has the most trustworthy jump shot), but they’re smart and talented enough to mesh. Add in veterans like Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki and Wes Matthews, and this team should be steadier right away.

I have my qualms with the DeAndre Jordan contract — who else was giving him that money? Why not a younger player on a longer deal? — but it won’t sink them in one season. They can chart a different course next summer if they choose. The rest of the roster is young and building momentum, and Dallas has had more success wooing free agents than we remember based on their big-name failures.

When a team drafts well in the lottery (and you could make the case the Mavericks got the biggest steal in each of the last two drafts), their rebuild need not drag on. The Mavericks look ready to compete again within the next few years. It’s an unfinished project, but with their coaching and front office infrastructure and two cornerstone young guards, Dallas will be one of the most exciting teams to watch going forward.

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