Mavs depth chart: Christian Wood isn’t starting (yet), but still rotating with Luka Doncic

The Dallas Mavericks are just days from resuming meaningful basketball games for the first time since the Western Conference finals last spring.

What can we expect?

Let’s analyze coach Jason Kidd’s depth chart, based on preseason playing time, rotations and observations throughout two-plus weeks of training camp.

Starters: Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie, Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith, JaVale McGee

The top of this lineup is almost self-explanatory.

“Luka’s Luka” has become one of Kidd’s most common refrains this preseason as the 23-year-old superstar has settled back into Dallas after a whirlwind national team summer and appeared to be in better shape than the last two preseasons.

Dinwiddie had a full, healthy offseason to prepare for replacing Jalen Brunson’s ball-handling responsibilities. As the Mavericks’ 3-and-D wing leaders, Bullock and Finney-Smith emerged as two of the team’s most reliable, durable and irreplaceable contributors down the stretch last season.

The Mavericks “https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2022/07/13/javale-mcgee-qa-how-mavericks-made-the-pitch-to-play-with-luka-doncic-most-enticing/” promised McGee a starting role during free agency this summer, so expect the 34-year-old to settle into Dwight Powell-like rotations, when he plays five to six minutes to start as a traditional big presence, but then subs out for a more versatile, five-out center to capitalize on minutes with Doncic.

Last season, that was Maxi Kleber after Kristaps Porzingis trade, and this year, it should be Christian Wood.

Potential midseason starter: Christian Wood

Most outside the team are puzzled that Wood isn’t part of the starting five — especially given the Mavericks’ likelihood of running McGee in shorter spurts.

Wood has started 108 of his last 109 games, but he played the last two seasons for the rebuilding Houston Rockets and was on the rebuilding Detroit Pistons before that.

He has played for seven teams in his first six NBA seasons.

Don’t be surprised if Kidd challenges Wood’s mentality early this season to gauge whether he’s “https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2022/09/29/christian-woods-move-to-mavs-sixth-man-will-either-test-or-reinforce-jason-kidds-culture/” willing to sacrifice his own statistics and prestige for what the Mavericks view as their best rotations to win.

So far, Wood has sidestepped questions about coming off the bench during a contract year, and he appears to have developed a strong rapport with his new teammates on and off the court. Should he not rise to starter as the season progresses, legitimate contention for Sixth Man of the Year wouldn’t be a bad fallback compromise.

Second unit: Wood, Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber, Josh Green

If Friday’s preseason finale was a true “dress rehearsal,” as Jason Kidd dubbed it, the Mavericks’ staggering of playing time will look similar to last year’s rotations around Doncic, even with different personnel.

At the first extended break midway through the first quarter, Wood replaced McGee and Hardaway swapped in for Dinwiddie. The combination of Wood’s shot-creating skills as a big man and Hardaway’s midrange and 3-point shooting abilities, the Mavericks hope, will help fill the third-ball handler void the Mavericks haven’t filled since Brunson’s departure.

Kleber checked in a few minutes later for Bullock, and sooner after, Green entered for Finney-Smith.

Doncic played the entire first quarter, per usual, and then watched as Dinwiddie ran the second unit to start the second period. The Mavericks have placed Dinwiddie with this second-unit lineup during their blue vs. white scrimmages, so he’s gained ample familiarity with the lineup and extra reps leading the offensive sets without Doncic on the floor.

On the fringe of the rotation: Frank Ntilikina, Jaden Hardy

These are two guards with preseason results in opposite directions.

Though the Mavericks have a clear need for point-guard depth, Ntilikina hasn’t seized the opportunity. He played as the 10th man in the rotation Friday night, and hasn’t elicited the same praise Dallas’ coaching staff and leadership have heaped on Green and other developmental contributors.

The 2017 No. 8 overall pick, Ntilikina could receive playing time as a defensive specialist or injury replacement, but don’t look for him to receive consistent minutes as the third ball-handler many anticipated he might.

Hardy, meanwhile, showed “https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2022/07/14/quiet-basketball-loving-robot-jaden-hardy-is-eager-to-erase-nba-doubts-as-mavs-rookie/” significant progress from summer league through the preseason, and Kidd has “https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2022/10/14/jaden-hardys-nba-debut-matter-of-when-not-if-but-mavs-wont-rush-despite-early-promise/” lauded the second-round rookie for working with assistants since the draft to acclimate to the Mavericks’ systems.

“Right now, he’s just on the outside looking in on the rotation,” Kidd said Friday, “but that doesn’t mean he’s not going to get a chance to play.”

End of the bench: Dwight Powell, Davis Bertans, others

Theo Pinson, Tyler Dorsey, McKinley Wright IV

Powell, the most notable omission from the core rotation, started 89 of the 100 games he played last season. Though a strong pick-and-roll complement to Doncic, Powell’s contributions on rebounding, defense and 3-point shooting rank below McGee’s, Wood’s and Kleber’s.

Bertans could push for time as a 3-point shooting specialist, but he’s missed the last week with a right knee effusion. Kidd isn’t sure if he’ll be healthy by opening night.

Theo Pinson, “https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2022/10/06/i-killed-it-how-tyler-dorseys-coincidental-trip-to-dallas-sparked-hope-for-mavs-roster/” two-way guard Tyler Dorsey, potential two-way addition McKinley Wright IV and whomever the team signs to fill the 15th full roster spot will likely play only in emergency or blowout situations.

“https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/”Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

Twitter: @CallieCaplan

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