With Kyrie Irving not expected to return from a torn ACL in his left knee until at least January, the Dallas Mavericks enter this offseason with a clear priority: shoring up their backcourt.
While the Mavericks have plenty of options in the frontcourt, they are spread thin at point guard. Spencer Dinwiddie is set to become an unrestricted free agent, leaving Brandon Williams and Jaden Hardy as Dallas’ only internal alternatives at the point.
The Mavericks have been linked to several players on the trade market, including Jrue Holiday and Collin Sexton. Chris Paul has also emerged as a potential target in free agency. But if the club strikes out on those bigger names, it may look in another direction.
One potential signee? Malcolm Brogdon, the 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year, according to Austin Veazey of SI.com.
The 32-year-old’s injury history is extensive, and he has appeared in just 63 regular-season games over the past two seasons. Brogdon would be a cost-effective alternative for the Mavericks, and he may be a viable short-term replacement while Irving is sidelined.
Brogdon began his career in Milwaukee, where he earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2017. After his time with the Bucks, the Virginia product latched on with the Pacers and averaged a career-high 21.2 points per game over 56 regular-season appearances in 2020-21. However, he has bounced around recently, playing for four different teams in the past four seasons.
A versatile guard and capable playmaker, Brogdon would facilitate opportunities for the club’s talented roster, which is expected to include Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson and projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg.
Over his nine-year career, Brogdon has averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 three-pointers while recording 46.3/38.8/87.4 shooting splits in 29.1 minutes per game.