While the Mavericks were active at the trade deadline, they could get even better via the buyout market.
No team made more marquee moves than the Dallas Mavericks at the 2024 NBA trade deadline. They kicked things off by trading Richaun Holmes and a first-round pick to the Washington Wizards for Daniel Gafford. The Mavericks also traded a 2027 first-round pick and Seth Curry to the Charlotte Hornets for PJ Washington.
It was a great series of moves. But now Dallas can also add buyout players like Spencer Dinwiddie and Jordan Goodwin to their roster as well.
Dallas bolstered their frontcourt with those moves, but could stand to add versatility and defense in their backcourt as well. Outside of Dante Exum, the Mavericks are short on perimeter defenders.
Adding another ballhandler to take pressure off of Luka Doncic and his 35.7% usage rate which trails only Joel Embiid. Players like Dinwiddie and Goodwin could provide big lifts to catapult the Mavericks out of the play-in and firmly in the playoffs.
Spencer Dinwiddie, Guard
The best stretch of Spencer Dinwiddie’s career came while he was a Dallas Maverick. Dinwiddie posted a 56.8% effective field goal percentage in 23 games with the Mavs in the 2021-22 season and a 50.4% mark in the 2022-23 season. Those are both by far career-highs. He also shot the best from distance in his career while as a Maverick by far.
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Perhaps the reason for Dinwiddie’s efficiency is the fact that he doesn’t have to do much with the ball in his hands and can play beside an ace creator in Luka Doncic. That setup helped facilitate the best stretch of Dinwiddie’s career and he helped the Mavericks make a run all the way to the Western Conference Final. Now, he can run that setup back with nearly the same core that made that deep playoff run.
Spencer Dinwiddie might be the best player that will hit the buyout market. If the Mavericks can bring him back in addition to acquiring Washington and Gafford, that would be a tremendous get.
Jordan Goodwin, Guard
The biggest issue for the Mavericks has been defense. Their 117.4 defensive rating ranks 22nd in the NBA and the only teams they are ahead of that are still trying this season are the Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz. They badly need help on that end of the floor, especially on the perimeter.
That’s where Jordan Goodwin comes in. Goodwin was traded by the Phoenix Suns as part of a three-team trade that saw the Suns land Royce O’Neale from the Brooklyn Nets. Goodwin was subsequently moved and waived as part of that transaction.
He may have not stuck in Phoenix, but he should somewhere because he an really defend on the ball.
He is also super active and alert off the ball.
All the Mavericks really have on the perimeter defensively is Dante Exum, who was out of the NBA a year ago and has battled injuries again since getting back to the league. Teams will wonder whether or not Goodwin can stay on the floor in a playoff series because of his offense, and rightfully so. It will be tough to keep a player shooting 28.8% from three on the floor in a playoff setting.
But Dallas might be a team who could get away with it. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving don’t require a ton of space on each and every possession to create their own shot. Goodwin can help the Mavericks out. They should give him a call.
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