NBA rumors: 3 free agent suitors who could give Lonnie Walker a bigger role

2. Dallas Mavericks

It’s not clear if the Mavericks really want, or will actually be able, to bring back Christian Wood and Kyrie Irving. But there’s a good chance they find themselves with a big chunk of space, fielding polite “No, thank yous” from some of their top free-agent targets. Like with the Cavs, Walker’s fit here would be a lot cleaner if he had a longer track record of reliable outside shooting — he hit 36.5 percent this season but just 34.3 percent across his first four seasons.

Still, he’s likely to be fairly inexpensive, and even if he’s not an elite outside shooter, his athleticism and creation ability, particularly attacking closeouts, could be useful next to Luka Doncic. Most importantly though, he’s only 24. The Mavericks rather quickly found themselves with a supporting cast of veterans way, way older than Luka Doncic. They not only fell short in the talent department but fielded a roster with very little potential upside from internal development. Being able to plug in a reliable role player who also might have a lot more to offer than he’s shown thus far in his career should be a high priority for the Mavs.