The Dallas Mavericks are stuck between a rock and a hard place as they head toward training camp. Dallas has a need in their backcourt, but they only have one standard NBA contract spot left on the roster.
As shared by Marc Stein on his Substack, the franchise has to decide if they want to fill that roster spot now or hold onto it heading into the regular season.
It is common practice for teams, especially contenders, to have an open roster spot heading into the regular season so that they can have the flexibility to make moves.
“League sources say that Dallas has indeed considered the addition of one more ballhandling veteran to its roster before the season starts while also believing there is a strong case to be made to leave its 15th and final full-fledged roster spot open for in-season flexibility.”
If the Mavericks opt to keep the roster spot open, there are a few options the team could turn to. Frank Ntilikina would likely get the first crack, as he can at least provide an impact defensively with his length and multi-positional versatility.
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After that, 2020 first-round pick Josh Green could receive a shot at showcasing his talents in an expanded role for the first time. Dallas could also give minutes to Tyler Dorsey, who signed a two-way deal with the team and is playing very well for the Greece national team alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. If he plays well in the regular season, they could convert his contract to a standard NBA deal, giving him the final roster spot.
If Dallas decides to fill that spot with a veteran before the season, Stein mentioned a few potential targets as well. Dennis Schroder was the first player named, followed by Eric Bledsoe, Facundo Campazzo, Elfrid Payton and Dennis Smith Jr. Out of that bunch, Schroder likely has the highest ceiling and is arguably the best fit.
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Schroder is the best 3-point shooter of the bunch, which isn’t much to write home about as he is a 33.8 percent shooter in his career. But, keeping teams honest from the perimeter is part of what Dallas would be looking for in a third ball-handler as they would share the court for some minutes alongside Luka Doncic.
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