With the Dallas Mavericks’ first Summer League game just around the corner and their roster recently announced, one name (besides Cooper Flagg) jumps out as a player hoping to earn a contract by the end of the Summer League season: Maxwell Lewis.
Lewis is a two-year pro who has previously spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, and he’s no stranger to the newest Dallas Maverick, D’Angelo Russell. During Lewis’s stint with the Lakers, he shared the court with Russell before both players were moved the following season. In December, Russell and Lewis were traded to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the deal that brought Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to Los Angeles.
On their new team, Russell made an immediate impact, starting multiple games for Brooklyn and averaging 12.9 points and 5.6 assists per game. Lewis, on the other hand, struggled with his end of the bargain, only averaging 5.3 Points and 0.8 Assists.
With the start of the offseason, Russell signed a two-year, $13 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, where he’s expected to fill in as the starting point guard while Kyrie Irving will miss multiple games at the beginning of the season as he recovers from an ACL Injury. Lewis’s offseason, however, took a different turn: he was waived by the Nets, leaving him searching for a new team.
Now, Lewis has found his chance with the Mavericks, joining their Summer League squad in hopes of securing a spot on the roster. He’ll aim to impress and earn a roster spot with the Mavericks, reuniting with D’Angelo Russell for the third time in their careers.
Lewis is expected to start for Dallas in Summer League and will need to deliver standout performances to solidify his case for a roster spot. With two years of NBA experience under his belt, he’ll have to outshine hungry young prospects fresh out of college or semi-pro leagues who are looking to make their own mark.
With the first game coming up on July 10 against the Lakers, Lewis will look to make a statement against his former team, the very team that traded him away.
Revenge? A roster spot? It's all in play.
And there’s no doubt D’Angelo Russell will be rooting for Lewis to earn a contract with the Mavericks.
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