Detroit Pistons vs. Dallas Mavericks 2019-20 season preview and predictions
Mavericks offseason changes
Perhaps the best thing to happen to the Mavericks this season is Porzingis is scheduled to play his first game in their uniform since they acquired him on Jan. 31. This summer the Mavericks inked Porzingis to a five-year, $158 million extension.
The 7-foot-3 Latvian forward hasn’t played since Feb. 6, 2018 when he tore his left Anterior Cruciate Ligament. He did start scrimmaging with Dallas in March but was held out of NBA action with the team seemingly out of playoff contention. Oct. 8 will be his first preseason game and first NBA action in 20 months.
If there’s any downfall in the commitment to Porzingis, it’s a couple of startling accusations, according to TMZ and other media reports. First, he was accused of raping a woman the night after he tore his ACL. He denied and it is still being investigated by the New York Police Department. In May he was involved in a bar fight in Latvia, which the Mavericks believe he was jumped and assaulted by Russians, according to ESPN.
No discipline has been handed to Porzingis since either incident.
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Pairing him with Rookie of the Year, Luka Doncic, creates a formiddable duo of two unique talents in the league. Porzingis’ perimeter ability creates a mismatch with his height. He’s able to rise over anybody at any spot on the floor. Doncic has proven his ability as a flashy passer and certified scorer.
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It was an otherwise quiet offseason for Dallas, who re-signed Kleber and Dorian Finney-Smith. They signed Dwight Powell to an extension and 3-point marksman Seth Curry from free agency. They also added Delon Wright in a trade that sent a pair of second rounders to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Detroit trading Isaiah Roby to the Mavericks could prove costly, at some point. Roby, a 6-foot-9 wing out of Nebraska, signed a record deal for a second round pick. He signed a four-year, $6.7 million contract, becoming the first second round pick to earn $1.5 million in his rookie year.
Adding 3-point shooting to surround Doncic and Porzingis will make the Mavericks a tough offensive matchup.