The Mavericks have established a tight-knit locker room, and that’s why the team is in no hurry to make deals once most offseason signees around the league become eligible to be traded December 15th, as Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News wrote last week. The team is 12-9 and, in a surprise, tied for fourth in the Western Conference.
“We’re not exactly sure what we have yet,” said Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, according to Sefko.
The Morning News scribe speculates that backup center is the only spot that might elicit an upgrade, with the still-recovering JaVale McGee limited to no more than 15 minutes per game and unable to play back-to-backs, but the Mavs only have two back-to-back sets the rest of the month, Sefko notes. See more from the Southwest Division:
- Tony Allen remains a starter, but he’s failed to score or play as many as 20 minutes in four straight games, notes Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal, who examines the swingman’s changing role for the Grizzlies. Allen is signed through 2016/17.
- Jarell Martin, whom the Grizzlies drafted 25th overall this year, is moving closer to a return from a broken foot, and when he does make his season debut, it’ll be on D-League assignment, Herrington writes in the same piece. Jordan Adams will also probably go to the D-League when he comes back from right knee soreness, Herrington adds.
- Center Mirza Begić, briefly with the Pelicans during the preseason, has formally joined Bilbao of Spain on a deal for the rest of the season, the team announced (translation via Sportando’s Orazio Cauchi). J.M. Cortizas of El Correo first reported Begić was close to signing.