June 26, 2025 • 6 mins
“What’s next for the Mavericks’ roster—and is D’Angelo Russell really the best option to hold it down until Kyrie returns?”
In this jam-packed episode of The Ben and Skin Show, hosts Ben Rogers, Jeff “Skin” Wade, Kevin “KT” Turner, and Krystina Ray dive deep into the Mavericks’ offseason strategy, dissecting the rumors swirling around D’Angelo Russell and what his potential fit could mean for the team’s chemistry and defense. With Mark Stein hinting at Russell as a target, the crew debates whether he’s a temporary fix or a long-term liability.
Whether you're a die-hard Mavs fan or just here for the laughs, this episode is packed with insight, hot takes, and classic Ben & Skin banter that’ll keep you hooked from start to finish.
In this jam-packed episode of The Ben and Skin Show, hosts Ben Rogers, Jeff “Skin” Wade, Kevin “KT” Turner, and Krystina Ray dive deep into the Mavericks’ offseason strategy, dissecting the rumors swirling around D’Angelo Russell and what his potential fit could mean for the team’s chemistry and defense. With Mark Stein hinting at Russell as a target, the crew debates whether he’s a temporary fix or a long-term liability.
Whether you're a die-hard Mavs fan or just here for the laughs, this episode is packed with insight, hot takes, and classic Ben & Skin banter that’ll keep you hooked from start to finish.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This segment right here is brought to you by Andrews
American Pizza Kitchen. If you're wondering who makes the best
pizza in Dallas Fort Worth, Well, readers of the Dallas
Mornny News say it's Andrew's American Pizza Kitchen. It's located
in Plano Preston and Plano Parkway. They've mastered five different
types of pizza. They've got an amazing local craft beer selection.
They've got fantastic pots, pasta and salads and TVs in there.
(00:21):
It's a great place to watch sports, but their pizza
is legendary. Find out why people say it's the best
in all of DFW. It's worth going. There's only one
location and it's in Plano Preston and Plano Parkway. So
get out there to Andrews's American Pizza Kitchen. But coming
up right now, it's time for this.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
What's going on in Dallas?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
For there wasn't new poll out that says that Dallas
is the number fourteen best city according New O. Don't know.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I didn't really dive into dpost of board with it.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Cooper flags here though.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
That's good. Hey what else?
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Yeah, I'm wondering what's next, Like what is next for
the Mavericks for their roster construction? And Mark Stein seems
to think that it's D'Angelo Russell, And you know, the
Mavericks needs somebody to hold down the point guard position
while Kyrie is healing, assuming Kai will miss the first
half the season roughly, and then Ki will be back
at some point, and they need somebody who can hold
(01:21):
it down for Kai while he's out and then when
ky returns can just kind of settle back into being
a rotational player. There's been some good names thrown out there.
I'm not super high on D'Angelo Russell, but it appears
to be that that's the direction of the MAVs are
looking if what Stein's information is correct, Yeah, I think
I'll put it to you like this. I'm not saying
(01:43):
Kid is anti D'Angelo Russell. I don't know that at all.
Can you would you mind looking up KT what all years?
I don't think he spent any time on that Laker
team that won in the Bubble, but I can't remember.
Now we'll find out real quick man, cause that would
have been on that same staff with you know, Jared
Dudley was a player. Anthony Davis was a player. He
(02:04):
did play with ad I know, yeah, right, he was
a Laker. I just don't think it was the championship
two to twenty three. Yeah, okay, so it was after
the championship here, so Kid would not have been with him.
But I do know that Jason Kidd loves Malcolm Brogden
because he had him in Milwaukee, and I think he
(02:25):
can now Malcolm Brogden is not the scorer and shot
creator that D'Angelo Russell is. D'Angelo Russell is also a
subpar defensive player. Like he's a bad defensive player. That's
not h That's my opinion from just watching him. I've
never looked at any defensive metrics, but I just know,
like when we've called games and we're playing him, I'm like,
(02:48):
target that guy, isolate him, Let's just score a bunch.
So uh, But it could be that the Mavericks feels
so good about their back line defensively that.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
And they do need scoring.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
And of the news that are being tossed around, he's
far and away the best score in terms of he's
got Like I've seen him get on heaters and just
run you for a quarter. So he can do that
and they may look at their roster. You know what
he is, He's a much better Jaden Hardy's what he
is style of player. He has a much better Jaden Hardy.
(03:20):
And so if that's like when you look out there
and go, because the idea is you're gonna hold it
down until Kyrie.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Gets that did what he's roll last year basically Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
These names that are out there, none of them are
doing it for me, but for five point seven whatever. Yeah,
but I would like to see them put together a trade.
Go get go get somebody that we're not even talking about,
and a more substantial piece. And obviously I know you can't.
You have a bunch of money to do that. You
can't acquire some guy with huge contract or whatever. But
(03:52):
put together Caleb Martin package, put in Jaden Hardy, you
know what, throwing a sweetener, whatever you got to do.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
But I don't just want to settle.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
I think this could be really, really special, and so
I think they should, you know, because there's times where
the offense really struggled and it was a complete disaster.
You had guys signing ten day contracts in starting games.
It felt like, you know, it was so nuts. Last year,
but it did seem like there's times where the offense
would bog when Kai was gone. Do you know their
best healthy ball handling scorer is right now, probably handling
(04:26):
just yeah, just a guy that can handle the ball.
It's probably Brandon Williams. Yeah, is he going to be
back or uh yeah, Okay, he's under contract.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
I saw Kai Jones is probably gonna come back. Oh
I didn't see that. Go life, Let's go yeah, K
But yeah, I don't.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
I don't they you know, maybe they look at the
scoring being such a big deal that that's why.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
They like D'Angelo Russell.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Yeah, And I've thought about that too, and it's like,
hey man, it fills a need that we have until
Kyrie gets back. I'm not worried about I'm not worried
about shot creation. Once Kyrie gets back, I'd love to
have more. I think by and I think I don't
want to heap too much on Cooper Flag right now,
but I think by next year, you're not going to
be talking about shot creation because he's going to be
(05:09):
such a such an amazing hub. He's not going to
be a traditional run the offense guy. But dude, Duke
was running their offense through him. They took the ball
away from their guards and gave it to Cooper Flag.
Now it's college, but I'm saying that's where he's.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Going to be.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Will he be anything like the Greek freak offensively, No.
I think he's more like a Kaoir or Lebron type offense.
Oh wow, yeah, you know in terms of like that
hype so well, yeah, that type.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Now, that's probably.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Not fair to say Lebron because Lebron's one of the greatest,
some of the greatest court vision of all times, so
that may probably not fair for me to say that.
But the way that he handles the ball, the ability
to floor it and then pass off the dribble.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Right, so if he's doubled, he can find the open guy.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
That's why I made those lamar Odom comparisons, Like I
was always really comfortable with offense running through lamar Odom,
but I didn't think he.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Was a point guard. But he's going to be that.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
It's just he's not going to be that in his
rookie year. He still has to learn the NBA game
and NBA spacing and all that. But they're not going
to have that problem long term. We're talking about for
a shorter period of time. And that's why maybe it
is Dangel Russell. I did not watch him play enough
last year to really say, no, it needs to be
this guy. But I feel like Malcolm Brogden, the Malcolm
(06:25):
Brogden that I know, is the best fit. I just
don't know if that's the same Malcolm Brogden, because dude,
I was not watching Wizards games all right, coming up
next in just over three minutes, Man, there is bad
news for the liver King. It is not looking good.
Who could have seen this coming? Ah,
This segment right here is brought to you by Andrews
American Pizza Kitchen. If you're wondering who makes the best
pizza in Dallas Fort Worth, Well, readers of the Dallas
Mornny News say it's Andrew's American Pizza Kitchen. It's located
in Plano Preston and Plano Parkway. They've mastered five different
types of pizza. They've got an amazing local craft beer selection.
They've got fantastic pots, pasta and salads and TVs in there.
(00:21):
It's a great place to watch sports, but their pizza
is legendary. Find out why people say it's the best
in all of DFW. It's worth going. There's only one
location and it's in Plano Preston and Plano Parkway. So
get out there to Andrews's American Pizza Kitchen. But coming
up right now, it's time for this.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
What's going on in Dallas?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
For there wasn't new poll out that says that Dallas
is the number fourteen best city according New O. Don't know.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I didn't really dive into dpost of board with it.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Cooper flags here though.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
That's good. Hey what else?
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Yeah, I'm wondering what's next, Like what is next for
the Mavericks for their roster construction? And Mark Stein seems
to think that it's D'Angelo Russell, And you know, the
Mavericks needs somebody to hold down the point guard position
while Kyrie is healing, assuming Kai will miss the first
half the season roughly, and then Ki will be back
at some point, and they need somebody who can hold
(01:21):
it down for Kai while he's out and then when
ky returns can just kind of settle back into being
a rotational player. There's been some good names thrown out there.
I'm not super high on D'Angelo Russell, but it appears
to be that that's the direction of the MAVs are
looking if what Stein's information is correct, Yeah, I think
I'll put it to you like this. I'm not saying
(01:43):
Kid is anti D'Angelo Russell. I don't know that at all.
Can you would you mind looking up KT what all years?
I don't think he spent any time on that Laker
team that won in the Bubble, but I can't remember.
Now we'll find out real quick man, cause that would
have been on that same staff with you know, Jared
Dudley was a player. Anthony Davis was a player. He
(02:04):
did play with ad I know, yeah, right, he was
a Laker. I just don't think it was the championship
two to twenty three. Yeah, okay, so it was after
the championship here, so Kid would not have been with him.
But I do know that Jason Kidd loves Malcolm Brogden
because he had him in Milwaukee, and I think he
(02:25):
can now Malcolm Brogden is not the scorer and shot
creator that D'Angelo Russell is. D'Angelo Russell is also a
subpar defensive player. Like he's a bad defensive player. That's
not h That's my opinion from just watching him. I've
never looked at any defensive metrics, but I just know,
like when we've called games and we're playing him, I'm like,
(02:48):
target that guy, isolate him, Let's just score a bunch.
So uh, But it could be that the Mavericks feels
so good about their back line defensively that.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
And they do need scoring.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
And of the news that are being tossed around, he's
far and away the best score in terms of he's
got Like I've seen him get on heaters and just
run you for a quarter. So he can do that
and they may look at their roster. You know what
he is, He's a much better Jaden Hardy's what he
is style of player. He has a much better Jaden Hardy.
(03:20):
And so if that's like when you look out there
and go, because the idea is you're gonna hold it
down until Kyrie.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Gets that did what he's roll last year basically Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
These names that are out there, none of them are
doing it for me, but for five point seven whatever. Yeah,
but I would like to see them put together a trade.
Go get go get somebody that we're not even talking about,
and a more substantial piece. And obviously I know you can't.
You have a bunch of money to do that. You
can't acquire some guy with huge contract or whatever. But
(03:52):
put together Caleb Martin package, put in Jaden Hardy, you
know what, throwing a sweetener, whatever you got to do.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
But I don't just want to settle.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
I think this could be really, really special, and so
I think they should, you know, because there's times where
the offense really struggled and it was a complete disaster.
You had guys signing ten day contracts in starting games.
It felt like, you know, it was so nuts. Last year,
but it did seem like there's times where the offense
would bog when Kai was gone. Do you know their
best healthy ball handling scorer is right now, probably handling
(04:26):
just yeah, just a guy that can handle the ball.
It's probably Brandon Williams. Yeah, is he going to be
back or uh yeah, Okay, he's under contract.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
I saw Kai Jones is probably gonna come back. Oh
I didn't see that. Go life, Let's go yeah, K
But yeah, I don't.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
I don't they you know, maybe they look at the
scoring being such a big deal that that's why.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
They like D'Angelo Russell.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Yeah, And I've thought about that too, and it's like,
hey man, it fills a need that we have until
Kyrie gets back. I'm not worried about I'm not worried
about shot creation. Once Kyrie gets back, I'd love to
have more. I think by and I think I don't
want to heap too much on Cooper Flag right now,
but I think by next year, you're not going to
be talking about shot creation because he's going to be
(05:09):
such a such an amazing hub. He's not going to
be a traditional run the offense guy. But dude, Duke
was running their offense through him. They took the ball
away from their guards and gave it to Cooper Flag.
Now it's college, but I'm saying that's where he's.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Going to be.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Will he be anything like the Greek freak offensively, No.
I think he's more like a Kaoir or Lebron type offense.
Oh wow, yeah, you know in terms of like that
hype so well, yeah, that type.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Now, that's probably.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Not fair to say Lebron because Lebron's one of the greatest,
some of the greatest court vision of all times, so
that may probably not fair for me to say that.
But the way that he handles the ball, the ability
to floor it and then pass off the dribble.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Right, so if he's doubled, he can find the open guy.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
That's why I made those lamar Odom comparisons, Like I
was always really comfortable with offense running through lamar Odom,
but I didn't think he.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Was a point guard. But he's going to be that.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
It's just he's not going to be that in his
rookie year. He still has to learn the NBA game
and NBA spacing and all that. But they're not going
to have that problem long term. We're talking about for
a shorter period of time. And that's why maybe it
is Dangel Russell. I did not watch him play enough
last year to really say, no, it needs to be
this guy. But I feel like Malcolm Brogden, the Malcolm
(06:25):
Brogden that I know, is the best fit. I just
don't know if that's the same Malcolm Brogden, because dude,
I was not watching Wizards games all right, coming up
next in just over three minutes, Man, there is bad
news for the liver King. It is not looking good.
Who could have seen this coming? Ah,
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