Mavericks’ Offseason Addition Has Perfect Priorities Before Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Cooper Flagg is, of course, the biggest offseason pickup for the Dallas Mavericks, easily beating out any competition for that title he may have had.
D’Angelo Russell certainly fills a position of need, with Kyrie Irving out, although another guard is somehow slipping under the radar.
Undrafted free agent Ryan Nembhard was one of the very best players left on the board after the 2025 NBA Draft, and he joined the Mavericks, hoping to show out on their Summer League team and earn a roster spot.
With him running point this summer for Flagg, it should be easy for him to look good, although he wants to break a certain narrative.
In his final NCAA season with Gonzaga, Nembhard posted a stellar 10.5 points and 9.8 assists per game on 40.4 percent shooting from deep. Like his brother, he is a pest on defense and would have been a first-round pick if he were taller than six feet.
Despite his passing prowess, there are very real concerns that he will struggle to score in the NBA, although he will argue that he didn’t stuff the stat sheet in college simply because he valued winning more than scoring.
“I think I definitely have the ability to score and sometimes at the college level you’re trying to get wins and you’re going to do whatever you can to win the game, but I think definitely I have the ability to put the ball on the rim and create my own shot when it’s needed,” he said. So I think that’s something that I’ll be able to build upon in these next few weeks.”
The Zags went 26-9 last season, so it’s safe to say that Nembhard’s win-first attitude worked, and if he cracks the roster, he should be a welcome addition in Dallas.
Related: What To Expect From Cooper Flagg’s Mavs Debut
Related: How to Watch Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg and Lakers’ Bronny James in Summer League
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.