The Dallas Mavericks are rumored to be looking at a pair of veteran NBA point guards to help fill in for Kyrie Irving during the first half of next season. And one of them is NBA legend Chris Paul.
While they traded away team great Luka Doncic earlier this year, the Mavericks expect to be a good team next season. Once fully healthy. However, it may not be until after the All-Star break when they get to full strength and get Irving back from an ACL tear.
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To make up for his first-half absence, the organization is looking at a pair of affordable, big-name veteran point guards, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
“The Dallas Mavericks are increasingly regarded as the favorites to sign D’Angelo Russell,” Stein reports. “Dallas is limited to offering Russell a first-year salary of $5.7 million via the taxpayer midlevel exception. The Mavericks are only able to pay that much because Irving turned down his $43 million player option for next season earlier this week to sign a new three-year deal on July 6 that will feature a Year 1 salary at less than $40 million.
D’Angelo Russell stats (2024-25): 12.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 31% 3PT
“Chris Paul would be another Mavericks target at $5.7 million.”
Paul would likely be more open to a contract for the midlevel exception. And after playing in San Antonio last season, switching to Dallas would not be much of a lifestyle change. However, Stein claims that if he even does return for a 21st season, he would prefer it to be close to home in Los Angeles.
Could the Mavericks convince Russell to take a contract worth just under $6 million in the first year? It would be a major drop in salary after he made $18.6 million last season (via Spotrac). However, after a down year in 2024-25, his value is certainly at a low point.
The Mavs should be a good team next season, and he will get a lot of minutes early. It could help him for another jump back into free agency next summer. And the Kentucky native who played high school ball in Florida might be interested in getting back to his southern roots for the first time in his NBA career.
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After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka ... More about Jason Burgos