After an NBA Finals appearance last season, the Dallas Mavericks reloaded, letting go of Derrick Jones Jr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. and adding Klay Thompson, Quentin Grimes, and Naji Marshall. These key additions notwithstanding, the Mavs are still mostly a Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving team, which means most everything revolves around their two stars.
Even so, Dallas is a deep, talented team with players who can excel in fantasy. We break down the Mavs next. (For our previous NBA Roster Insider Drafts, just click here: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers)
Your Main Man: Luka Doncic
Defensive limitations (apathy, perhaps?) aside, Doncic is a definite fantasy stud. He ticks the usual boxes of scoring, rebounding, and assists, norming 28.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.6 assists. Those aren’t even Luka Magic numbers, as the 25-year-old has been a career 30-9-8 player for the Mavs.
Needless to say, Doncic is a walking triple-double, which is a boon to any fantasy owner. And it just might be a matter of time before he starts putting truly eye-popping numbers again. That he adds 1.6 steals for someone who has earned a reputation for being a defensive liability is a big plus as well.
Surefire Studs: PJ Washington, Dereck Lively III
Washington has been solid for the Mavs since his return from an early season knee injury, and his strong play has translated nicely to the stat sheet—11.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.2 blocks. The points and rebounds are good additions to any fantasy team, but Washington’s 2.7 stocks (steals + blocks) mean additional points in some leagues.
Either Lively or starter Daniel Gafford is a good choice given their near-identical playing time and almost similar production. But we’re giving Lively the slight edge mostly due to his higher stocks (0.6 steal, 1.6 blocks) to go along with his 8.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. It also looks like Lively is starting to pick up his game after a slow start, which should only mean better production.
Low Cost, High Value Picks: Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall
It used to be that Thompson was a star—in real games and in fantasy. But those days are gone, with Captain Klay reduced to a role player. Then again, he is the kind of role player who can give your fantasy team 13.2 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.8 assists. He can even throw in an occasional steal. All in all, that production isn’t too shabby for a player who is basically a spot-up shooter.
Like Lively, Marshall started the season slow but has picked up his game lately. He is still just a role player in the grand scheme of things in Dallas, but the 13.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.6 steals he contributes every game are definitely solid—whether in actual games or in fantasy leagues.
