Mavericks rookie Sergio de Larrea flashes elite playmaking in Summer League, roster decisions loom ahead of Macao trip
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The Dallas Mavericks are evaluating first-year guard Sergio de Larrea after an eye-catching Summer League in which the 19-year-old averaged 8.8 assists against 3.0 turnovers but struggled with his shooting touch.
“He arrived with a clear sense of who he is,” Summer League coach Joe Boylan said. “The lob passes, the behind-the-back, through-the-legs passes—that’s his game. He’s already played high-level professional basketball, and he brings that to every floor he steps on.”
Boylan added that the Spanish guard must strengthen his frame and extend his shooting range to secure minutes as a rookie. “Dealing with physicality and knocking down deep shots will stay at the top of our summer checklist,” he noted.
Learning from Kyrie Irving
De Larrea said he hopes to study Kyrie Irving’s leadership style. “Above all, I want to learn how he leads in such a competitive environment. He’s a great leader as both a player and a person,” De Larrea told Mundo Deportivo in Spanish.
Early depth chart takes shape
Team reporter Eddie Sefko projects Irving, Marcus Sasser and De Larrea as Dallas’ three point guards. The center position is crowded with Morez Johnson Jr., Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford and Moussa Cisse all under contract, a depth deemed necessary given Lively’s injury history. Dallas currently has 16 players on standard deals, one over the regular-season limit.
Preseason itinerary set
The Mavericks confirmed a four-game preseason schedule highlighted by two contests against the Houston Rockets in Macao on Oct. 9 and Oct. 11. The club returns to American Airlines Center to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 14 before finishing exhibition play versus the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 16.
Source: Hoops Rumors
