The Dallas Mavericks underwent big reorganizational changes last offseason after parting ways with longtime general manager Donnie Nelson. They once again struck out big-name hunting with their cap space in free agency and kept the same roster for the most part. Despite all that, they made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals under head coach Jason Kidd. He led the team to make internal improvements and took them from being the 21st best defense last year to the 7th best this season. The Mavericks are now a more balanced and foundationally sound team.
So how can the Mavericks build off this season? They won’t have cap space and might not have any in the foreseeable future. This is largely thanks to Luka Doncic‘s maximum extension kicking in, as well as sizeable contracts already dedicated to their great role players. They are heading into the offseason with a full 15-man roster, including their first-round pick, so any significant changes will likely come through trade.