The Dallas Mavericks continue to struggle on the defensive end of the floor, and they must get better on that end if they want to be legit contenders in the Western Conference even though they’ve won their last two games over the Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons.
Dallas started off extremely hot after trading for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, but their defense lately has been holding them back from emerging as true contenders. The fix to getting Dallas to play good defense seems to be full effort and communication, but that isn’t something they have been able to get lately.
The Mavs must fully buy into head coach Jason Kidd’s defensive scheme, and they could return to being a force in the Western Conference.
11 Players who turned their back on the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas is at their best when they are playing tough defense, and all hope isn’t lost yet as they’ve looked good in their last two games.
While Dallas’ focus is staying afloat in the Western Conference, here we look back at 11 players who have turned their back on the Dallas Mavericks over the years.
11. Spencer Dinwiddie
While Spencer Dinwiddie provided the Dallas Mavericks with some great memories during the 2022 NBA Playoffs and quickly became a fan favorite in Dallas, many Mavs fans soured on him earlier this season when the Mavs were pursuing him on the buyout market.
The Mavs clearly needed a backup point guard, and a Dinwiddie return to Dallas was a move that made sense for both teams. Dinwiddie played the best basketball of his career while a member of the Mavs, and if they signed him, he would have had a prominent role immediately.
The Mavs are deep in the hunt for playoff positioning in the Western Conference, and a Dinwiddie signing is something that could put them over the top. Ultimately, Dinwiddie ended up signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, and his reasoning behind choosing the Lakers over Dallas was strange.
“Let’s say you’re a kid and you get your (expletive) whupped by the bully. Dallas would have been like your mama, like, ‘It’s OK, baby,’” Dinwiddie said. “Lakers are like your dad: ‘Nah, you better go out there and fight ‘til you win.’”
Dinwiddie later explained that his reasoning was pointing towards “comfort zones” and that “the most fun in my career to date has been Dallas.”
At the end of the day, his comments were a bit strange and him returning to Dallas was a move that would have considerably benefitted both sides, but he chose the Lakers over the Mavs.
Dinwiddie hasn’t been great since arriving in Los Angeles, but thinks could have looked different in Dallas.
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