The Mavericks need Olivier-Maxence Prosper to be part of their rotation this season.
Despite the wall-to-wall coverage the NBA receives, there’s still room for some mystery. That’s the case with Olivier-Maxence Prosper for the Dallas Mavericks. There’s not much known about how he fits into the Mavericks’ rotation this year. The 6’8” forward could play a role for a team that plans to contend for the title, but no one will know if he’s ready for big minutes for a playoff team until the season is well underway.
Prosper saw limited time with the Mavericks last season. The rookie needed plenty of time in the G League with the Texas Legends to develop his skills, as he turned out to be much more of a raw talent than expected. When he did see time with Dallas, he averaged only three points, two rebounds, and not much else per game. But now he’s had a whole season of development, and the Mavericks won’t ask for much from him.
Biggest Question
Is Prosper ready to take the next step and be a solid contributor for the Mavericks? They don’t need him to have a huge role. He won’t start, and Dallas won’t look for him to carry a bench unit. What they do need is a large wing who can rebound and hit open shots. In limited action, Prosper hit only 29 percent of his 3-pointers last season. But that includes very few minutes and almost no role on the team. He only came in during blowouts to soak up minutes. In the G League, he was much better, hitting 42 percent of his threes while attempting five per game. The Mavericks are hoping that’s the player they’re getting in Prosper’s second year.
Best case scenario
In a perfect world, Prosper is frustrates opponents on defense, rebounds, and hits enough open 3-pointers that the Mavericks can play him 15-20 minutes per game. He can ease the aging and injury-prone Maxi Kleber’s workload, and possibly even push for Kleber’s role altogether. This isn’t to say that Kleber isn’t valuable, but having a solid backup that can replicate his game on offense, and is possibly more aggressive shooting 3-pointers, would be an incredible boost for the Mavericks.
Worst case scenario
The worst case scenario for Prosper really isn’t that bad. The Mavericks don’t need him—this season. If Prosper shows he’s not ready for a big role on a championship contender, Dallas can keep working on his development and hope he shows some promise toward the end of the season. If, in his third year, Prosper isn’t ready to crack the rotation, that’s when concerns should arise.
Season goal
The goal for Prosper should be simply earning a spot in the rotation. Averaging 10-20 minutes per game would be a huge win. To do so, he’ll need to rebound, play solid defense, and hit open threes at around a 36-38 percent clip on three or four attempts per game.
Overall
The Mavericks are playing with house money if Prosper pops this season. Every contending team needs young players to contribute. It’s how you manage to stay competitive while being in the salary cap hell that comes with fielding a top-heavy roster. But for the moment, Dallas can remain patient with their other first-round pick from last year.