There were a variety of options Reggie Bullock faced as a free agent after a strong season with the New York Knicks. He chose to sign with the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year, $30.5 million contract.
Bullock has made his mark in the NBA filling the '3-and-D' role on the wing, which is what the Mavericks thought they were getting in Josh Richardson. Bullock takes pride in guarding the other team's best player and is coming off a season shooting 41.0% from deep.
A player who possess that type of skill-set is bound to thrive alongside an elite playmaker like Luka Doncic. It's easy to understand why Bullock is 'glad' he gets to be teammates with Doncic, the recipient of consecutive First-Team All-NBA nods.
“Everything [Luka Doncic] does on the court, from shooting the ball to his go-to moves, to the way he gets other people involved, he’s a great player,” Bullock said. “I’m glad to say that he’s a teammate of mine now – that I don’t have to guard him."
Opposing teams know they have to send extra help against Doncic because he's going to make plays downhill regardless of how the on-ball defender plays him. Bullock knows this first hand from having to be the one to try to slow Doncic down.
“We had some great battles when we played against each other when I came down here," Bullock said. "But he’s definitely competitive, and he loves the game, and he’s got a lot of respect for it, so I’m glad to call him a teammate now.”
The Mavericks may not have added a secondary ball-handler this offseason, but the team did get better. It's just a matter of how much better is the question. Adding Bullock into the mix helps, as well as keeping Tim Hardaway Jr., but the ceiling still remains short of a title team.
Regardless, for the Mavericks to achieve their goals this season, a strong season will be needed from Reggie Bullock. He could have a very successful stint in Dallas if his perimeter shooting prowess carries over, unlike for Josh Richardson.
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