Mainstream Mavs Podcast

Will and Jaren talk in detail about the Mavericks signing former Slam Dunk Contest champion Derrick Jones Jr. to a year fully-guaranteed veteran minimum contract. They talk about the defensive versatility Jones can bring to the Mavericks guarding 2-4, as well as how he'll fit offensively as a part-time short roller, excellent cutter, and transition finisher. They touch up on Jones' less than ideal 3-point percentage, and talk about how it going up could be improved given the openness of his spot up shots since he'll likely become a benefactor of Luka Doncic's playmaking. They then divulge into the Mavericks' recent training camp additions of Greg Brown III and Joe Wieskamp before rounding out the segment by posing the question of, "Who will get the Mavericks last 2-way roster spot?" Lastly they talk about how much Jones raises the floor of this Mavericks team before previewing Dirk Nowitzki's Hall of Fame enshrinement on Saturday in Springfield, Massachusetts. They talk glowingly about Dirk and how much he deserves the honor and Jaren gives us a personal anecdote on Dirk's personal significance to him.

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Will and Jaren predict the Mavericks record for the 2023-23 NBA season and sift through a slew of different scenarios in which could occur to the Mavericks and elaborate upon how the Mavericks will fare in each scenario. The first scenario being if the Mavericks go into the season with their current roster. The second scenario being if the Mavericks make a trade for a starting center or upgrade their wing spot. The last scenario is the doomsday scenario, where he injuries or some other issue have derailed the Mavericks season. After predicting records for each scenario, Will and Jaren talk about what factors could potentially lead to their predictions being skewed such as the Mavs rookies performing above expectations or Jaden Hardy's role being limited in the lineup. Lastly they talk shop for a few minutes and end the podcast by talking about their excited-ness for their content coming out in August as well as their new role as contributors at The Smoking Cuban!

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Will and Jaren hop back on after almost a 2 week sabbatical from doing any podcasts together to fully wrap up the Mavs Las Vegas Summer League trip and their last game against the Atlanta Hawks in which they routed them fairly easily in a final score of 101-80. They talk about everyone who stood out in Summer League from promising un-drafted players like Jordan "Jelly" Walker, Taze Moore, and Brandon Randolph to rookie standouts and 2-way players who developed marginally throughout Summer League such as Dereck Lively, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, AJ Lawson, and Mike Miles Jr. They talk about all of their respected roles, how what they did in Summer League could translate to the NBA level, and what each prospect still needs to work on post-Vegas. They also commend Summer League head coach Jared Dudley for his work with the Mavs younger players and finish their summer league wrap up by commending Nico Harrison and the Mavs scouting department for shifting the culture in terms of the Mavs developmental system with young players given it will likely be an integral bridge to success if Luka Doncic stays and Kyrie Irving leaves Dallas or exceeds his prime in the coming years. Lastly, they wrap up with some sprinkles of news and rumors throughout the last 2 weeks such as what the Mavericks might do via trade to address the center position or what they may do with their remaining $6 million that they still have left in their mid-level exception.

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Will and his friend Ethan (a tentative Mavs fan who is trying to learn more but is very passionate about basketball) wrap up a 98-96 OT summer league victory for the Mavericks over the Golden State Warriors as well as the 112-91 dismantling of the Indiana Pacers in this one. He talks about the defensive identity and young culture that has been fostered on this you Mavs summer league team and how much of a stark contrast it is to previous summer league teams for the Mavs over the last few years. He talks about key role players and how they fared in both games like AJ Lawson, Taze Moore, and Jordan Walker and how they could all potentially be guys that harness the last two 2-way spots the Mavericks have after signing Mike Miles Jr. (who's also been very impressive) to a 2-way deal yesterday. They then talk about how the rookies fared in both games and just how much potential Dereck Lively II has despite him still needed to continue on an upward trajectory on that developmental curve quite some more before he's ready to start. Lastly they talk about how impressive O-Max Prosper and AJ Lawson were defensively and praise O-Max as a tried and true day 1 ready rotation player after he imposed his will on fellow first round pick Jarace Walker in tantalizing fashion before talking about how the continued polishing of AJ Lawson's game will be integral to him earning a regular or 2-way spot on the Mavericks roster after an impressive and hyper-efficient 10-12 shooting performance against the Pacers in summer league.

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Will and Jaren talk about the Mavericks debut in NBA 2k24 Summer League in their first loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder 90-81 and their following comeback win against the Philadelphia 76ers 111-103 in this one. They start by divulging into the individual performances of key summer league players and how they performed relative to expectation for the Mavericks all the way from new rookies Dereck Lively II/Olivier-Maxence Prosper, to returners such as, Jaden Hardy/McKinley Wright IV/AJ Lawson, and intriguing bright spots such as Taze Moore/Brandon Randolph/Jordan "Jelly" Walker/Braxton Key. They then indulge in a topic of discussion regarding the actual game-play and talk briefly about how both games fared from start to finish from a team perspective. They also engage in a little bit of free agency and the trade market discussion at the very beginning of the podcast and talk about what direction the Mavericks will go in given their mediocre flexibility they have before getting into some players the Mavericks have been rumored to go after at or may be a decent fit.

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Will and Jaren cover the huge sign and trade that sends Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks on a 4 year/$53 million contract that sees both Dallas and Boston accruing 2 2nd round picks in the process whilst the Mavericks give up Reggie Bullock and a 2030 pick swap to the San Antonio Spurs. Will and Jaren talk about how significant it is for the Mavericks as well as Dallas to finally get a free agent that was heavily rumored to come here and WANTS to be here. They then talk about Grant Williams basketball fit with the Mavericks, and talk about how he can be the quintessential non-one dimensional 3&D role player the Mavericks have been coveting as far as bigger wings go. They then move on to the failed Matisse Thybulle offer sheet the Mavericks used to try and steer away the RFA from Portland with and how good of a fit it could of potentially been, whilst also recognizing it could've been a drastic overpay and the Mavericks will need to pivot quickly if they wish to acquire another wing with their potential full MLE still remaining 6 days into free agency and fairly limited options still on the table. Lastly they talk about what the Mavericks will do next with Marc Stein reporting that they are still in need and pursuit of a starting center, as well as how the Mavericks could still use their flexibility to split the MLE between 2 player or make a trade where they take back more salary than is outgoing to get the 2 longing needs for this team (A starting caliber center and rotation wing, or a starting caliber wing and rotation big).

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Will discusses the anticipation before NBA free agency kicks off at 5:00 PM CDT and gauges how Mavs fans and himself are feeling with the big day on the horizon. He then does some housekeeping and talks about Dwight Powell likely coming back, the Mavericks exercising Reggie Bullock's team option as well as if Kyrie Irving will remain in Dallas after he is reported to be driving his market up by taking other free agency meetings, specifically with the Phoenix Suns. Next, he pulls out the complete free agency big board and sifts through potential free agent and trade targets that the Mavericks have been rumored with as well as some prospective dark horse candidates to sign with Dallas that are maybe smaller names or have been swept under the radar in the rumor mill. Lastly, he gives his farewell given its the last podcast before free agency and talks about how vastly important this offseason is for the Mavericks.

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Will and Jaren analyze a variety of factors with all the recent names that the Mavs have been linked too so far before free agency and prime trade season starts as they go in depth into each player's on court performance and talk about how their roles would vary accordingly if they played for the Mavericks as well as how good of a basketball-fit each player would be. They then talk about each player's contract situation and survey the route as to how the Mavericks could get each player and if it would be worth it or not, whether its from using the full MLE, the BAE, or even via trade. They talk about the likes of Bruce Brown, Harrison Barnes, DeAndre Ayton, Tobias Harris, and Grant Williams and also diagnose how plausible it would be for each player to actually be in a Mavericks uniform next season before talking about some cap ramifications surrounding the proposed DeAndre Ayton trade that the Phoenix Suns reportedly turned down from the Maverick's because of the potential inclusion of JaVale McGee. They sift through different cap scenarios such as potentially stretch waiving a Maverick, seeing what Kyrie Irving potentially signs for, as well as segueing McGee to a 4th team and they talk about which cap gymnastics would be applicable as well as which ones would be too burdensome to try for the Mavs before each of them give their opinion on which scenarios they'd like to see Ayton in Dallas in. Lastly, they talk about the Adrian Wojnarowski report that came out as they were recording live which talked about how heavily a possibility Kyrie Irving remaining in Dallas seems to be.

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Will and Jaren dissect new fan favorite Olivier-Maxence Prosper's (O-Max) full on court fit with the Mavericks as well as his strengths and weaknesses. They then talk about what his potential role with the Mavericks could look like as well as how high energy of an individual he is and how much his youth and charisma will be beneficial for the team from an off-court perspective as well before giving a quick debrief on new Mavs 2-way guard Mike Miles Jr, as well as former UAB guard and current exhibit 10 signee for the Mavericks, Jordan Walker. Next, they talk about the post-draft introductory press conference the Mavs had and talk about how ready and vetted the 2 rookies were for the interview process, as well as how impressed they were with both Lively and Prosper's answers. Lastly they get into Dereck Lively's on court fit and potential upcoming role with the Mavericks once the season starts, a continuum of their previous podcast right before the draft where they diagnosed Lively as a Maverick draft target and did a whole player profile on him. (Make sure to check it out if you haven't already!)

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Will and Jaren cover the highly touted center prospect out of Duke, Derek Lively II, and hash out his draft profile by micro-analyzing his offensive and defensive strengths and weaknesses, making comparisons for his ceiling and floor as a propsect, and by diagnosing how volatile a prospect he is given some of his weaknesses but also very intriguing swing factors such as his ability to shoot the 3 and pass out of the short roll. Lastly, they talk about how being able to trade back and still get Lively would be most optimal, but preface the Mavericks should consider him at 10 as well.

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Will and Jaren profile Overtime Elite forward Ausar Thompson and Kansas standout Gradey Dick in this rendition of their draft profiles. They go over each players strengths and weaknesses as well as what their projected ceiling and floor, before diagnosing a boom/bust rating for each player as well as an NBA comparison. They also go over individual questions for each player such as, "Will Thompson ever develop his shot creation?" and "Will Dick ever be able to add size and strength for defensive purposes?" plus much more.

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Will and Jaren start the first rendition of their 2023 draft profiles for the Dallas Mavericks with some bangers with 3 of the highest projected lottery talents in the 2023 NBA Draft. They talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the versatile 6'7 point guard Anthony Black, one of the more surefire 3 & D prospects in the class with Taylor Hendricks, and potential wing and small ball 5 Jarace Walker. They also diagnose each player's pros and cons, each players ceiling and floor, each player's current or past NBA comparison, how each players role would differentiate based on if they were picked by the Mavericks, and they lastly give their 2 cents on how volatile each player's career trajectory could potentially pan out. Despite Black, Hendricks, and Walker being projected to go before the Mavericks (who are slated to have the 10th pick in this year's draft) in most mock drafts, Will and Jaren talk about how if any of these players fell, the Mavericks will at least need to consider keeping the pick based on the talent of these individuals.

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Will and Jaren talk about the rumors surrounding superstar LeBron James and his potential linking to the Dallas Mavericks by virtue of multiple reports within the national media this past week detailing that Kyrie Irving supposedly "wants the Mavericks" to trade for LeBron this ensuing offseason. They then finish off their last season in review/player profile with Kyrie Irving and talk about his potential continued pairing with Luka Doncic and how that would look, how Kyrie's impending free agency decision will effect the Mavericks as well as if they think he'll stay or not, and lastly they talk about how good Kyrie is and how if he and the Mavericks can best curate the on and off court decision making process together, they could build something noteworthy next season if Kyrie stays in a Dallas uniform past this summer,

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Will diagnoses Luka Doncic's full 2022-23 All NBA 1st team season in this one. He starts off by detailing what strides he has made offensively every year in his career since his rookie season than brings up the negatives or 'knocks' upon Luka's game such as conditioning or complaining to refs and talks about how he can improve within the margins in certain areas. He then talks about the staples in Luka's game and how it makes him so effective before stressing how paramount it is to the Mavericks to build a decent roster around him so they don't potentially lose him in the coming years. Lastly, he talks sparingly about Luka's fit with Kyrie Irving as well as the steps the Mavericks need to take to ensure they don't lose their coveted franchise cornerstone.

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Will and Jaren walk step by step over Tim Hardaway Jr, Reggie Bullock, and Maxi Kleber's 2022-23 season for the Dallas Mavericks and talk about the full extent of their season, what went well for them this past year as well as what didn't go well for them comparable to other seasons in their careers, what they could all improve upon, where they took a step in their game from the 2021-22 playoff run, and finally they give a sustainability rating for each player in regards to his future in Dallas as well as a surprising stat to encapsulate their season.

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Will and Jaren hop back on the microphone to rekindle the past couple weeks in terms of the rumors involving Kyrie Irving's impending free agency as well as the Mavericks officially getting the number 10 overall pick in this years NBA Draft and the possibilities that come with that (though they are reserving actual fake scenarios involving the draft for future podcasts in that regard). They talk about the reasoning as to their absence from the podcast as well as the content they hope to flush out during a **hopefully** eventful summer for the Mavericks. Mainly though, they divulge into Josh Green's season in review and talk about where he made his biggest leap, where he needs to improve further, as well as what his biggest strengths and weaknesses were this past season.

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Will and Jaren discuss the rigid dichotomy between the Mavericks keeping their pick or it conveying to the New York Knicks as the NBA Draft Lottery is set to ensue tonight (5/16) at 7:00 PM CT on TNT. They divulge into players that may be available in the Mavericks range if they are to keep their pick, pose the question if the Mavericks should trade their pick or not, talk about if the pick somehow lands inside the top 4, and much much more. Lastly they stress just how important this night is for the Mavericks as a franchise as it could potentially steer them back on course after a very derailed season.

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Will and Jaren decipher the late season comments Mark Cuban made in pre-game media availability a month back ago in the 3rd to last game of the regular season against the Sacramento Kings and talk about the validity of his claim versus Jalen Brunson's camp's claim in regards to the merit and reasoning as to why Jalen Brunson left Dallas as well as some of the details surrounding his departure. They then get heavily into a variety of divisive topics that they handpicked from Tim Cato's recent article on The Athletic such as, "How fractured is the Christian Wood situation in Dallas?", "What options do the Mavericks have if they retain their top 10 protected draft pick?", and "What will happen to the stability of this franchise if Kyrie Irving leaves the Mavericks this offseason?", along with much more from the article before wrapping up the podcast in a very pessimistic sort of fashion after pin pointing just how important this offseason is for the Mavericks.

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Will and Jaren dissect the seasons of Dwight Powell, Frank Ntilikina, & JaVale McGee and subsequently get into each of their respected contract situations as well as how they performed relative to expectations this past season. They also get into what they could do better next season as well as some of the bright spots each of them flashed throughout a season that was extremely convoluted with dread. Lastly, they divulge into a surprising stat with each player as well as denoting each player a sustainability rating out of 10 as far as their future in Dallas is concerned.

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Will and Jaren attempt to micro-analyze the seasons of Davis Bertans, Markieff Morris, and Justin Holiday and how they fared in their 2022-23 season with the Mavericks. They dive into their strengths and weaknesses, what they improved upon from last season to this season, and what they could do to marginally improve next season. They then talk about some surprising stats and how they coincide with each respected player's on-court performance as well as their sustainability going forward as they pose the question 'Will these player be back with the Mavericks next year?'

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Will and Jaren talk about the Mavericks 2 two-way players and how they fared this past season as well as what kind of potential they may have going forward for the Mavericks if they stick around. They talk about their strengths and weaknesses as well as what they could both improve upon as well as what they did improve upon throughout the course of this last season. Lastly, they throw out an interesting stat as well as denote a 'sustainability rating' for each player.

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Will and Jaren diagnose Jaden Hardy's 2022-23 rookie campaign and talk extensively about what he impressed upon in year 1, what he can improve upon in year 2, what his strengths and weaknesses were, and they also look ahead to the future in regards to the excitement around his development as well as his long-term sustainability in Dallas.

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Will and Jaren have a provocative conversation with the infamous Chris, AKA @MVPLuka77 (FIRE MARK CUBAN is his handle) from Twitter for a more light hearted episode. They get into his insane year as a season ticket holder that has included run ins with security, getting kicked out of games, partying it up with Slovenians, and much more. Will and Jaren wanted to give Chris the opportunity to tell his story and to change the perspective around him a little as he is a genuine down to earth guy who can very clearly separate his passion at games with real life and they feel as if there have been some misconceptions around him this year. He has a lot of cool stories in this one as a devout lifelong NBA fan and newfound Mavs fan and its definitely one of the more 'funner' podcasts will and Jaren have done and they hope to have Chris back on the show at some point! Y'all enjoy the episode!

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Will and Jaren wrap up the tank job the Mavericks induced upon themselves in the last 2 games of regular season en route to finishing with the 10th best lottery odds as they are poised to be in favorable position to keep their pick in all likelihood. They divulge briefly into the 115-112 loss to the Bulls as well as the 138-117 loss to the Spurs briefly and how the Mavericks played in them before talking about some of the bigger downfalls of the Mavericks season and what questions persist for this team as they head into the offseason along with Mark Cuban's recent comments surrounding the team.

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Will and Jaren diagnose the Mavericks 123-119 win over the Sacramento Kings. They talk about Kyrie Irving's masterclass of a performance in the 4th quarter where he scored 19 points and brought the game home for the Mavericks after an abysmal defensive first half. They also dip into how the role players on each side of the ball played and who surprised from the Sacramento Kings as well as who stepped up for the Mavericks particularly in the second half. Lastly, they give their own personal opinions on the Mavericks situation pertaining to their standing within the NBA play-in tournament and how they hope the situation unfolds given the Mavericks current standing after tonight as 11th seed in the Western Conference, tied record-wise with the Oklahoma City Thunder at 38-42.

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Will and Jaren get into 2 MORE debilitating losses for the Dallas Mavericks in a 129-122 loss to the Miami Heat and 132-130 OT loss to the Atlanta Hawks and talk about if the Mavericks should continue to tread along all happy go lucky until they are mathematically eliminated from the NBA play-in tournament or if they should mail it in with 3 games left despite being only .5 games behind of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the last play-in spot in the western conference. Will and Jaren talk about the complete lack of defense in these 2 affairs and continued severe clutch time woes from the Mavericks in an absolutely heartbreaking, classic, Mavericks esc loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Lastly, they talk about if there is anything the Mavericks can do to save their season, or if they need to throw this one in the gutter.

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