Sports

Mavericks' poor perimeter defense has an answer hiding in plain sight

The Smoking Cuban · Jul 21, 2026 11:00 · 3 min read

Mavericks' poor perimeter defense has an answer hiding in plain sight — Dallas Mavericks, Dusty May | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Dallas Mavericks could get some help on the perimeter defensively if Vsevolod Ishchenko can replicate his Summer League production when the season starts.

One of the Dallas Mavericks' biggest weaknesses last season was their perimeter defense. Their guards were constantly getting fried on the defensive end, and the Mavericks' lack of defensive stoppers on the perimeter was one of the many reasons they lost 56 games last season.

While Dallas hasn't made a trade or signing to address this area of deficiency this far into the summer, they may have aid in this department in the form of recent No. 56 overall pick Vsevolod Ishchenko, as Ischenko was traded to the Mavericks for practically nothing on draft night from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Ischenko impressed during Summer League, as his toughness, physicality, and grit was on full display in Las Vegas. Ischenko has a 7-foot wingspan, and stands at 6-foot-8, but showcased great lateral quickness and physicality when defending at the point of attack, whether he was guarding smaller guards, or locking down someone like No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Vsevolod Ishchenko could aid Dallas' poor perimeter defense

As things currently stand, Ischenko hasn't signed any sort of contract with the Mavericks, despite being drafted late in the second round. Dallas' final roster spots and two-way spots could be fluid until the end of training camp, and based on how Ischenko fared at Summer League, it would be shocking if he didn't at least get an invite to Dallas' training camp.

It may take some players underperforming, some trades happening, or injuries occurring for Ischenko to get a real shot at cracking Dallas' rotation next season, as Dallas has a myriad of players on the wing right now. However, he's already proven how his perimeter defense and toughness helped him stay on the court in Summer League, and these are valuable intangibles that could keep him on the floor at the next level as well.

If Ischenko does get an opportunity in Dallas' rotation next season, he would be a major help to their lack of point-of-attack defense. Dallas' best perimeter defenders right now are Max Christie and Caleb Martin, and Martin struggled to stay on the floor last season due to injuries and offensive inconsistencies.

Ischenko must continue to take advantage of opportunities

There's no doubt there's still room for Ischenko to grow offensively, but his shooting and playmaking grew with each game for Dallas in Summer League, and he ultimately shot 40 percent from outside through five games in Las Vegas. There's no guarantee this will carry over to the regular season, but if it does, the Mavericks may have a real solid rotation player on their hands.

There's no sugarcoating how badly Dallas could use Ischenko's perimeter defense, especially with the lack of moves to address this issue up to this point in the summer. Continuing to seize opportunities that come his way will be key for a late second-rounder like Ischenko, as he's not on a guaranteed deal, and will have to earn everything that comes his way under Dusty May and company.

However, given his sticktoitiveness and his desire to impact the game in multiple ways regardless of how he's playing offensively, he already has Mavericks fans buzzing online about the potential impact he could make next season. It will be interesting to see if Ischenko's Summer League prowess carries over to the next level, but there's no doubt he's positioned himself from a no-name draft pick to a budding young prospect within Mavericks circles.