The Dallas Mavericks had a few holes last season that had them stuck near the basement at 12th in the Western Conference. Perhaps the biggest hole was a lack of shooting. in what could go down as one of the team’s savviest under-the-radar offseason move, the Mavericks added Bosnian-Turkish sharpshooter Tarik Biberović after a series of trades following the NBA Draft.
The 25-year-old forward has spent nearly a decade playing professional basketball in Europe, establishing himself as one of the better shooters in the EuroLeague before making the jump to the NBA this summer. Dallas acquired his draft rights as part of the six-team deal that brought Santi Aldama to the Mavericks, while adding Biberović on a two-year deal.
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Biberović enters the NBA with a clear calling card: he can shoot. Last season with Fenerbahce, he averaged 10.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in 36 regular-season games while shooting 39.9 percent from 3-point range and 95.1 percent from the free-throw line. He was even better in the playoffs, averaging 15.8 points and making 52.9 percent of his 3-pointers.
That shooting touch could be a massive benefit to the Mavericks. Dallas shot just 34.4 percent from three as a team last season, and Biberović’s ability to stretch the floor could give a new-look offense another weapon around Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving.
Biggest question
He can shoot, but can he defend? Shooters shoot, but how well will his defensive skills translate to the NBA? Can Dusty May trust him enough on both sides of the ball to give him meaningful minutes?
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Biberović is 6-foot-7 and 218 pounds, giving him enough size to play either forward spot, but NBA athleticism is a different challenge than what he has faced in Europe. Dallas already has a crowded group of wings and forwards, including Zaccharie Risacher, Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington, and Morez Johnson Jr., all of whom will be getting minutes ahead of the rookie.
While considered a slightly below-average defender in Europe, Biberović’s defense has reportedly been ahead of expectations during training camp. Coach Dusty May specifically said Biberović’s defense has been “a little bit further along” than he anticipated. That’s important. If he can defend his position, rebound and make the right rotations while providing elite shooting, there is a legitimate role for him. This could be the difference between being a specialist who gets played when the Mavericks need offense and being a legitimate rotation player.
Best case scenario
Biberović quickly proves that his EuroLeague shooting translates to the NBA. If he can shoot somewhere around 38-40 percent from deep while making defenses pay for leaving him open, Dallas has a useful rotation piece. The dream scenario is that he becomes the kind of player opposing defenses simply cannot ignore. Put him alongside Flagg or Irving, and suddenly driving lanes become a little wider. Help defenders have to think twice before leaving him. A possession that previously ended with a difficult shot can instead become a kick-out 3-ball. That is the value of a player like Biberović.
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He doesn’t necessarily have to score 15 points per game to provide it. If he can give Dallas 15-20 minutes a night, knock down a couple of 3-pointers, rebound at a decent clip and hold his own defensively, he could become one of the more interesting bench pieces on the roster. There is also something to be said for the experience he brings as well. He isn’t a typical rookie. He has already played professionally for years and was part of Fenerbahce’s 2025 EuroLeague championship team. The NBA game will be new. Basketball won’t be.
Worst case scenario
We never like to look at this side, but we have to. Here, Biberović’s shooting doesn’t translate quickly enough, and his defense keeps him glued to the bench. This is the obvious concern with any international player making the jump to the NBA at 25. The NBA is faster, longer, and more athletic than anything he’s seen, and Biberović is going to have to figure out where his shots come from within an offense that is less structured than the one he played in previously. May has already acknowledged that learning to find shots within the flow of Dallas’ offense will be part of the adjustment.
If he struggles to create separation, gets targeted defensively, or has trouble adjusting to the speed of NBA closeouts, his one elite skill may not be enough to keep him on the court. And the Mavericks have alternatives. Risacher is expected to receive an opportunity. Marshall has established himself as a versatile veteran. Washington Jr. is a staple piece. Morez Johnson Jr. will get big minutes his rookie season. Caleb Martin remains on the roster. There are only so many wing minutes to go around. Biberović will have to earn them with his big skill that the others lack — shooting.
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Season goal
Become a trusted rotation player. That’s really all Dallas should be asking from Biberović in year one. If he can establish himself as a reliable shooter, prove that he isn’t a defensive liability, and learn how to play alongside Flagg and Irving, the season will have been a success. Something like 10-15 minutes per game would be a reasonable starting point, with the opportunity to earn more as the season progresses. More importantly, he needs to make the coaching staff comfortable putting him on the floor when the game matters. The 3-point shooting is the ticket into the rotation. Everything else determines whether he stays there.
Overall
Biberović is one of the more intriguing unknowns on the Mavericks’ roster. There is a very real chance he becomes exactly what Dallas needs: a big wing who can punish defenses from the outside and provide valuable spacing around its best players. There is also a very real chance that adjusting to the NBA takes time. The good news for Dallas is that he seems to understand the challenge. He has repeatedly emphasized that he didn’t come to the NBA simply to say he made it. He wants to make an impact and earn his minutes. That’s the right mentality for a player entering a crowded rotation.
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The Mavericks don’t need the sniper to become a star. They don’t even need him to become a high-volume scorer. They need him to shoot, be an average defender, play within himself, and make the game easier for the players around him. If he can do those things, Dallas may have found one of the better shooting specialists in its new-look rotation.
