Southwest Notes: Mavs, Pelicans, Spurs, Ginobili

Even though they have several players eligible for free agency this offseason, the Mavericks could attempt to keep most of their 2015/16 roster intact for next season, says Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. The team was plagued by injuries down the stretch, but head coach Rick Carlisle likes the group and would like to see a number of players return.

Whether or not the Mavericks’ roster undergoes significant changes, the club will be on the lookout for players that can contribute on the glass, Sneed writes in separate piece. “We’ve got to get some monsters that push and shove, throw people out of the way and go get the ball,” Carlisle said, suggesting that rebounders will be a priority in Dallas. Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News identifies 20 free agents that would make sense for the Mavs, and many of those players – including Al Horford, Hassan Whiteside, and Dwight Howard – would help address the team’s mediocre rebounding numbers.

Here’s more from out of the Southwest:

  • Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune wouldn’t be surprised if the Pelicans, who are in win-now mode, use the sixth overall pick in a trade, like they did three years ago when they acquired Jrue Holiday using a pair of draft picks.
  • It’s rare for a 67-win team to face a significant amount of roster questions and potential turnover, but the Spurs find themselves in that situation as the summer approaches, writes Bobby Marks of The Vertical. As Marks outlines, San Antonio has a pair of foundational pieces in Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, but it could be tricky to upgrade the roster around them.
  • Speaking of those Spurs, veteran guard Manu Ginobili intends to meet with Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, and others eventually as he weighs his options and decides whether to continue his NBA career. RealGM.com has the details, via La Nacion.
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