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It seems really weird to call what the Mavericks are going through a “youth movement” but after grabbing a top-10 pick in Dennis Smith Jr, that’s exactly what’s going on.
It’s definitely a foreign concept in Dallas and with the quiet off-season, it’ll be the spotlight of the season, as the Mavericks hope Smith is a Rookie of the Year candidate and they get expected growth from Harrison Barnes, Nerlens Noel (when he signs), Yogi Ferrell, Seth Curry and Dorian Finney Smith. For once it seems the play of Dirk Nowitzki isn’t really the focal point of what’s going on in Dallas.
The boys at Limited Upside over at our mothership SB Nation NBA got with current Mavs Moneyball editor Kirk Henderson and current SB Nation writer (and former MMB big boss) Tim Cato to discuss the Mavericks upcoming season and the strange and sudden transition they’ve gone through over the last year.
Here’s a rundown of the discussion:
-The Mavs have an actual future now! Maybe not like a future title winner, but a fun youngish core nonetheless.
-Are we getting too far ahead of ourselves with Dennis Smith Jr., or should we shut up and just enjoy him? (The latter).
-What's going on with Nerlens Noel? Why hasn't he re-signed yet? Are fans worried?
-How good is Harrison Barnes, exactly?
-Has management done enough to regain the trust of the fan base after Plan Powder kinda fell flat year after year?
-Oh yeah, let's talk about Dirk. Suppose you put Dirk at his absolute best (whenever that is) on this Mavs team. How high would they be in the West?
-What will Dirk's next job title be once he retires?
-If Mavs fans had a chance to do it all over, would they have preferred keeping the 2011 championship team together or breaking it up like they did?
-Which three Mavs would you want on your banana boat? (Dirk and Steve Nash should be shoo-ins, but who else joins them?)
Plus, predictions, best/worst case, making fun of Tim being super young, and way more.
Listen either at the link above or the embedded player below. You can also catch up on the rest of the season previews as well and subscribe to the cast through your favorite podcast services like iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher.