Mavericks' 2022 Free Agents, Targets and Draft Needs After NBA Playoff Loss

The Dallas Mavericks have a promising season left in them, so now it is up to the organization to figure out how to contend for a title next season.

The Mavericks finished the season with a 52-30 record, their first winning 50 games in two years, and were eliminated in the Western Conference Finals by the Golden State Warriors. Dallas needs another star next to Luka Doncic to compete against elite teams.

Doncic's extension kicks in next season, raising his cap hit to $36.6 million. It will be difficult for the Mavericks to afford another massive contract, so they will have to get creative.

The Mavericks got a jump start on free agency by acquiring veteran point guard Spencer Dinwiddie and signing swingman Dorian Finney-Smith to four-year, $58.6 million extensions before he hit the open market. The general manager will have more work to do to build a contender.

The Mavericks are heading into the summer.

Unrestricted agents.

There is a man named Jalen Brunson.

If he is cut before July 4, his contract is not guaranteed.

Theo Pinson.

The player option is $3 million.

The biggest decision facing the Mavericks is whether or not to bring back rising point guard Jalen Brunson. The fourth-year pro is going to make a lot of money after becoming a reliable floor general this season.

In 81 games with 61 starts, he recorded career-highs of 16.3 points, 3.9 rebound and 4.8 assists. He did a good job filling in for Doncic while he was injured. The Mavs' star of the playoffs was Brunson. It will be difficult for Dallas to allow Brunson to walk away without getting something in return.

It is likely that the Mavs cannot afford to keep him unless he gives them a hometown discount. It was reported earlier this year that a four-year contract worth $80 million was being sought by Brunson. Dallas will say goodbye to a promising young player if he sticks to that number. The loss of Brunson would be mitigated by the presence of Dinwiddie.

The Mavericks will have to decide if they want to keep Frank Ntilikina on board for next season prior to July 4, when his $2.04 million salary becomes fully guaranteed. The fifth-year point guard averaged just 11.8 minutes of action over 58 appearances, so he won't necessarily be missed from the rotation.

It would be wise for Burke to exercise his player option. He won't get a lot of attention on the open market. Theo Pinson was on a two-way contract. The team might keep him around to bounce between them and the G League.

The Mavericks have a projected salary cap figure of $182 million, which is the seventh-highest in the league, according to Spotrac.

Dallas will have a mid-level exception to play with, but that won't help the quest to pair another star with Doncic. If the Mavs want to make a significant addition, they will have to look at the trade market.

Jerami Grant is entering the final year of his contract with the Pistons. Grant isn't much of a three-point shooter, but his energy on both ends of the floor would give Dallas a major upgrade on the wing.

The Mavericks could check with the Pacers on the availability of Hield or Turner. Indiana could tear down its roster by moving on from some of its veterans. The needs for Dallas would be filled by both Hield and Turner. Consistency from three-point range would be provided by Hield. Turner would be a defensive anchor in the frontcourt when he recovers from his foot injury.

Rudy Gobert, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, will surely be a player the Mavs will want to pursue if the Utah Jazz blow up their roster.

If the right player becomes available, Reggie Bullock, Dwight Powell, and Maxi Kleber could be expendable. Dallas fans might be wary of another trade after Kristaps Porzingis failed, but the Mavs need to add another star.

Dallas would be better off packaging its first-round pick as part of a deal to acquire a star player. If the Mavericks hold on to the pick, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman tabbed 18-year-old Serbian prospect Nikola Jovic to land with Dallas in a recent mock draft.

According to Jonathan Givony, Jovic was playing in the Adriatic League for Mega Mozzart, and he averaged 11 points, 4.3 rebound and 3.3 assists in 28 minutes per game.

The combination of size, ballhandling, passing, dynamic shot-making, confidence and youth is intriguing to NBA scouts, drawing comparisons to oversized international guards like Deni Avdija.

There are a lot of skilled wing players in the draft who could fit with Dallas if Jovic is off the board. During the Jayhawks run to the NCAA men's national championship, Christian Braun showed off hisVersatility. Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Nebraska's Bryce Gowens are also expected to be available late in the draft.

Walker Kessler would be a good fit if Dallas focused on a big man. Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe would be a good option as well.