The Dallas Mavericks’ interest in Tarik Biberovic was not a late discovery. General manager Mike Schmitz said the 6-foot-7, 6-foot-8 wing had been on the organization’s radar for some time because of his combination of size and perimeter shooting.
His draft rights were acquired by the Dallas Mavericks in the six-team trade that also involved Santi Aldama and Marcus Sasser. “Our group had identified him as someone who at 6-7, 6-8 can really, really shoot the ball and had an impact at the EuroLeague level at a high level for a really competitive team in Fenerbahce,” Schmitz said Friday on 1310 The Ticket, via Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal.
Biberovic, who was selected 56th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2023 NBA Draft, remained with Fenerbahce before Dallas acquired his rights. The Mavericks then signed him to a two-year, $6 million contract on July 10, including a team option for the 2027-28 season.
Schmitz emphasized that Biberovic was a shared target across Dallas’ front office rather than the preference of one evaluator. “That’s definitely a player that’s been on the radar for some time, not just for myself, but for our whole group,” he said.
The signing addresses a clear need for additional wing shooting. Dallas finished the 2025-26 season 26-56 and ranked 12th in the Western Conference, while several of its primary wings struggled from three-point range.
Cooper Flagg averaged 21.0 points as a rookie but shot 29.5% from three on 3.5 attempts per game. Naji Marshall made 29.1% on 2.9 attempts, while P.J. Washington shot 32.5% on 4.2 attempts.
Max Christie and Klay Thompson provided the Mavericks’ most reliable high-volume perimeter shooting among their regular wings. Christie hit 40.4% on 5.8 three-point attempts per game, while Thompson made 38.3% on 7.6 attempts.
That context helps explain Dallas’ evaluation of Biberovic. His size potentially allows him to play alongside Flagg and other larger lineups, while his shooting gives the Mavericks another perimeter option without requiring the offense to rely exclusively on smaller guards.
