Mavericks fatal flaws that need to be fixed after the 2024 NBA All-Star break

The Dallas Mavericks are currently one of the hottest teams in the NBA. With Luka Doncic having an MVP-worthy season and Kyrie Irving gradually finding his rhythm, the Mavericks are on a seven-game winning streak as they look to continue climbing the Western Conference standings. And they kicked off the 2024 NBA All-Star break with a big win over the Phoenix Suns, who just took over in the standings.

Dallas improved its chances of winning this season by addressing some of its concerns heading into the 2024 NBA trade deadline. They added size, length and versatility to their frontcourt by acquiring PJ Washington from the Charlotte Hornets and Daniel Gafford from the Washington Wizards. Both Washington and Gafford were great acquisitions insofar as they helped shore up Dallas' defensive frontcourt issues.

Washington gave them a versatile, long wing who could guard bigger forwards, an issue they desperately wanted to resolve at the deadline. Gafford, on the other hand, gave him more rim protection behind rookie Derek Lively II.

Many thought the Mavericks were the winners at the trade deadline. However, there are still some flaws that need to be addressed if you want to increase your chances of winning the title. This is the fatal flaw the Mavericks will have to fix after the 2024 NBA All-Star break.

Mavericks fatal flaw: More playmaking in the backcourt

The Mavericks have arguably the best offensive backcourt in the NBA right now. Luka Doncic is a maestro with a way of calling his number and creating opportunities for his teammates. Kyrie Irving, on the other hand, is a basketball wizard with perhaps the toughest handle in NBA history. Despite having two of the best playmakers in the league, the Mavs still lack a third-class ball handler who can take the offensive pressure off of their two stars.

The Mavericks rank fifth in the NBA in unassisted field goals made and second in unassisted 3-pointers made. They are also second in isolation frequency, with 10.2 percent of their plays occurring one-on-one. The Mavs also rank first in field goal frequency with seven or more dribbles and first in touch time with six seconds or more. Part of this has to do with him being two of the most prolific ISO players in the game, but part of it is due to the lack of talented creators.

When you look at Dallas' roster, there aren't many players on the team who can create plays for themselves and others. Every player in the rotation gets at least 60 percent of their field goal attempts from assists.

Tim Hardaway Jr. can put the ball on the floor at times, but he's not a very reliable player when it comes to decision making. Likewise, he thrives more as a catch-and-shoot option than off the dribble. Dante Exum is a capable playmaker, but he's not very adept at creating his own baskets when needed. Jaden Hardy, on the other hand, hasn't been given as much consistent playing time by head coach Jason Kidd.

Mavericks could look to the buyout market to address this flaw

The Mavericks made a great move at the deadline, but they could have made other moves to address this shortcoming.

Washington Wizards veteran Tyce Jones was a popular name among teams looking for a quality backup point guard. But in the end he stayed in Washington. Dennis Schroder also moved at the deadline and came with a $12.4 million price tag, so he could have been a player the Mavs could target as well.

Now that the deadline has passed, we have no choice but to turn to the takeover market to resolve this flaw. But are there any other players left to add?

The Mavericks had already lost one of their top targets on the buyout market when Spencer Dinwiddie, himself a former Mav, opted to go to the Los Angeles Lakers after being bought out by the Toronto Raptors. Veteran guard Kyle Lowry might have been another option, but he ended up going to his hometown Philadelphia 76ers after being acquired by the Charlotte Hornets.

At this point, the Mavericks don't have many options to address their lack of playmakers. No, the Mavs shouldn't even consider considering Killian Hayes.

Perhaps their biggest hope is awaiting the return of Dante Exum, who has rejuvenated his NBA career. After playing basketball overseas for two seasons, Exum found a home in Dallas this season. He has appeared in 32 games, primarily as a backup, averaging 9.2 points and 2.8 assists on 57.1 percent from the field and 47.7 percent from 3-point range in about 20 minutes per game. Exum won't be the perfect solution, but he will at least provide another steady hand on the court.