Dallas Mavericks
2021-22What were the Dallas Mavericks in 2021-22, and what needed front-office attention?
DAL 2021-22: the clearest roster problems were Defensive event creation, Rebounding, Rim pressure. The strongest covered areas were Screening. The main rotation-player dependency cases were Jalen Brunson, Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock. Structural basketball need, injuries, replacement lineups, and financial constraints are reported separately.
What can be trusted
Supported strengths — production, who carries it, and what money is already committed.Full reading
DAL 2021-22 Screening: this was a team strength, but much of it came from Dwight Powell. Dwight Powell supplied 53.1% of the team's above-replacement production in this area. Recent availability did not create a repeated additional problem. Function-level salary allocation was incomplete and is withheld.
What needs attention
The clearest roster problems the evidence supports.Full reading
DAL 2021-22 Defensive event creation: this was one of the team's clearest roster problems; production ranked at the 4.5 league percentile. Dorian Finney-Smith supplied 36.9% of the team's above-replacement production in this area. Recent availability did not create a repeated additional problem. Function-level salary allocation was incomplete and is withheld.
Full reading
DAL 2021-22 Rebounding: this was one of the team's clearest roster problems; production ranked at the 4.5 league percentile. Luka Doncic supplied 25.9% of the team's above-replacement production in this area. Recent availability did not create a repeated additional problem. Function-level salary allocation was incomplete and is withheld.
Full reading
DAL 2021-22 Rim pressure: this was one of the team's clearest roster problems; production ranked at the 13.6 league percentile. Luka Doncic supplied 45.6% of the team's above-replacement production in this area. Recent availability did not create a repeated additional problem. Function-level salary allocation was incomplete and is withheld.
Every covered basketball function (11)
| Function | Reading | League percentile | Largest contributor | Recent availability | Salary commitment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creation | SupportedCritical team problem | 18th percentile | Luka Doncic · 42.1% | No repeated availability problem | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Defensive event creation | SupportedCritical team problem | 5th percentile | Dorian Finney-Smith · 36.9% | No repeated availability problem | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Interior finishing | SupportedMiddle of the league | 36th percentile | Dwight Powell · 29.7% | Absences repeatedly created a problem | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Passing connectivity | SupportedStructural team problem | 23rd percentile | Luka Doncic · 37.7% | No repeated availability problem | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Point-of-attack defense proxy | WithheldBasketball conclusion withheld | — | Dorian Finney-Smith | Recent availability conclusion withheld | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Rebounding | SupportedCritical team problem | 5th percentile | Luka Doncic · 25.9% | No repeated availability problem | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Rim pressure | SupportedCritical team problem | 14th percentile | Luka Doncic · 45.6% | No repeated availability problem | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Rim protection | SupportedStructural team problem | 5th percentile | Maxi Kleber · 31.0% | No repeated availability problem | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Screening | SupportedTeam strength concentrated in one player | 80th percentile | Dwight Powell · 53.1% | No repeated availability problem | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Shooting and spacing | SupportedMiddle of the league | 36th percentile | Dorian Finney-Smith · 33.0% | No repeated availability problem | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
| Switch coverage proxy | WithheldBasketball conclusion withheld | — | Maxi Kleber | Recent availability conclusion withheld | Salary-to-function mapping withheld — coverage too low |
Who the team depends on
What disappears when a player is removed — and whether an observed replacement five exists.DAL did not have strong functional backup for Jalen Brunson in creation; removing him cost about 33.4% of the team's production in that area. The next observed option was Luka Doncic.
Replacement evidence
Reggie Bullock · Spencer Dinwiddie · Dorian Finney-Smith · Maxi Kleber · Luka Doncic
shrunk net 2.65 over 180 possessions — small sample
on floor 5,458 possessions · off floor 2,935 possessions
DAL did not have strong functional backup for Dwight Powell in interior finish; removing him cost about 29.7% of the team's production in that area. The next observed option was Luka Doncic.
Replacement evidence
Kristaps Porzingis · Dorian Finney-Smith · Maxi Kleber · Jalen Brunson · Luka Doncic
shrunk net 2.688 over 161 possessions — small sample
on floor 3,559 possessions · off floor 4,784 possessions
DAL did not have strong functional backup for Maxi Kleber in rim protection; removing him cost about 31.1% of the team's production in that area. The next observed option was Dwight Powell.
Replacement evidence
Reggie Bullock · Dwight Powell · Dorian Finney-Smith · Jalen Brunson · Luka Doncic
shrunk net 7.471 over 907 possessions
on floor 3,263 possessions · off floor 5,120 possessions
DAL lineups performed 6.1 points per 100 possessions better with Reggie Bullock than without him. The best supported alternative was [Kristaps Porzingis, Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, Jalen Brunson, Luka Doncic] over 161 possessions.
Replacement evidence
Kristaps Porzingis · Dorian Finney-Smith · Maxi Kleber · Jalen Brunson · Luka Doncic
shrunk net 2.688 over 161 possessions — small sample
on floor 4,501 possessions · off floor 3,873 possessions
Function loss, lineup performance, and replacement-lineup evidence remain separate; none is causal player value.
What injuries change
Recent absences and the basketball needs they created or worsened.Absences repeatedly created a problem
created in 10 of the final 10 covered games — mainly Tim Hardaway Jr.
Where money is tied up
Cap position and salary allocation — shown beside the basketball picture, never blended into it.Most salary is mapped to interior finishing; the highest-need area is rebounding. Salary-to-function mapping covers 70% of charges.
Exact figures
Exact transaction legality withheld — no exception-usage, cap-hold, and transaction ledger evidence.
What the evidence cannot answer
Deliberate abstentions — where the database refuses a conclusion rather than guessing.- Point-of-attack defense proxy: Basketball conclusion withheld
- Switch coverage proxy: Basketball conclusion withheld
Exact transaction legality: Exact transaction legality withheld — no exception-usage, cap-hold, and transaction ledger evidence
Team-season situation report. Structural basketball quality, recent availability, player dependence, replacement lineups, and financial position remain separate. No acquisition recommendation, transaction grade, coaching grade, outcome claim, or causal value is inferred.