Mavs projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
Dallas Mavericks starting shooting guard: Kyrie Irving
The Kyrie Irving trade was marred in unavoidable controversy at the time. Irving’s off-court problems are well-tread terrain and it’s fair to wonder if he will serve the remainder of his new three-year, $120 million contract to the fullest extent possible. That said, it’s not an overpay for Irving’s basketball talent and it’s not like the Mavs are swimming in better options.
So, Irving is back. His numbers between Brooklyn and Dallas last season were virtually identical. He actually increased his assists by a smidge and saw his shooting percentages budge in the right direction with Dallas, which can be primarily attributed to Doncic. Any hand-wringing over the fit between Doncic and Irving before the deadline looks ludicrous in hindsight. There are defensive concerns of course, but Doncic is an offensive engine who empowers his teammates. Irving might not get as much time to dribble the air out of the ball, but he is being served up advantageous scoring opportunities on a silver platter.
Irving remains frightfully skilled with the basketball. It’s still hard to fathom that he and Doncic are on the same team. You don’t get extra ‘cool’ points in the NBA, but Irving and Doncic are so difficult to contain in isolation that it can leave defenses in complete disarray. Irving and Doncic are the ultimate bailout scorers, which means even the best defensive possessions often end in a Dallas bucket. Irving is comfortable operating off the ball from his days next to LeBron (and Harden, for that matter) and he appears to have checked his ego enough to embrace the Doncic partnership.
An elite 3-point shooter who can get to his shot from pretty much anywhere and any method, Irving is going to be just fine in his first full year next to Doncic. Dallas can run him through a maze of screens off the ball to free up space while the defense focuses its attention on Doncic at the top of the key. If Doncic becomes more willing to move without the rock, the possibilities are endless.
Primary backup shooting guard: Jaden Hardy
Jaden Hardy was a faint glimmer of hope in a dark and dreadful night after the trade deadline. The Mavs’ second-round pick was one of the few rotation players not named Luka or Kyrie who felt like a consistently positive influence. Hardy shot 40.4 percent from deep and averaged 8.8 points in 14.8 minutes per game.
At Summer League, Mavs assistant coach Jared Dudley spoke eloquently about changing Hardy’s offensive mindset so he can take the next step. Hardy has long been oriented toward scoring the ball, and he’s quite good at it. His explosive first step and pull-up shooting touch are legitimate weapons for Dallas. That said, he has to play next to Doncic and Irving. If he can embrace passing and off-ball movement, his role will be cemented — and we will be discussing him as a very, very good player in the near future.
Other players who could receive minutes at shooting guard: Seth Curry, Dante Exum
Seth Curry is back for his second go-around in Dallas. He wasn’t particularly effective with Brooklyn last season and he seems to have lost some of his mojo since leaving his DHO haven next to Joel Embiid in Philadelphia. The Mavs certainly have the offensive personnel to set Curry up for success, but he’s an undersized two-guard who doesn’t really defend. That’s going to cause some problems.
Dante Exum merits mentioning here. The Aussie and former lottery pick has always been a tantalizing perimeter defender, but he was phased out of the league due to his inability to shoot. Well, he shot quite effectively in Euroleague play last season and he’s back for round two in the NBA. If Exum is a reformed spot-up shooter, his defense could make him a valuable cog in Jason Kidd’s rotation.