Barea Returns, But Mavs Could Still Move Vets Like Bogut
- J.J. Barea will play for the Mavericks tonight in their tilt against the Nuggets, says Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. Not surprisingly, he will be on a minute restriction after missing the last 17 games with a calf injury.
Having fallen victim to knee injuries twice in the past year (he had surgery on his right knee back in March), Parsons will have his work cut out for him to prove that he can be a reliable option for the Grizzlies. In a feature for CBS Sports earlier this month, James Herbert detailed some of the small forward’s previous injuries, going so far as to say that concern over his torn meniscus is what led to the Mavericks opting against signing him to a long-term contract over the summer.
- J.J. Barea will play for the Mavericks tonight in their tilt against the Nuggets, says Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. Not surprisingly, he will be on a minute restriction after missing the last 17 games with a calf injury.
- SportsDay’s Eddie Sefko thinks that the Mavericks would be ready and willing to ship out Andrew Bogut should a contending team inquire about him over the course of the season. Bogut had been averaging 3.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game before suffering a bone bruise earlier this month.
Dirk Nowitzki Aims To Return By End Of Month
It has been a frustrating season so far for Dirk Nowitzki, who has been limited to just five games due to a persistent Achilles issue. However, the German big man is hoping to get back on the court for the Mavericks sometime before the end of 2016, perhaps around Christmas, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com details.
“The thing is, I think when I came back it was a little too early and I had a little setback,” said Nowitzki, who played two games in late November before going back on the shelf. “Everybody’s a little worried about starting it back up too early and then starting back where we were, so we’re taking it slow now. But it’s been getting better. I’ve been increasing the workload, and it hasn’t been sore. Hopefully, I’ll be back in action any time soon. Maybe I’m a Christmas gift.”
Nowitzki, 38, remained healthy and productive last season, averaging 18.3 PPG and 6.5 RPG in 75 total regular season games for the Mavericks. However, with an Achilles strain plaguing him this season, he has been sidelined for the majority of Dallas’ games, and the team has struggled in his absence. For the season, the Mavs have a 6-20 record, tied with the Sixers for the NBA’s worst mark.
[RELATED: 2016/17 NBA Reverse Standings]
As he has stated in the past, Nowitzki’s goal is to play for 20 NBA seasons. However, he has acknowledged the possibility that 2016/17 – his 19th season – could be his last if his health problems persist. Still, there’s optimism within the Mavs that their longtime star can get healthy and have a productive second half, which would put him on track to play one more year.
Barnes Has Been A Pleasant Surprise
- Harrison Barnes has been a pleasant surprise in a dreadful season for the Mavericks, states Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News. After joining the team on a max contract this summer, Barnes has responded by averaging 20.4 points per game. In his weekly chat, Cowlishaw also addresses possible trades involving Wesley Matthews, Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut, as well as the potential consequences of shutting down Dirk Nowitzki for the rest of the season.
Dirk Nowitzki Acknowledges Possibility Of Retiring In 2017
Dirk Nowitzki‘s current plan is to spend 20 total seasons with the Mavericks, which would mean playing out his current two-year contract and then likely calling it a career in 2018. However, as he continues to battle Achilles issues, Nowitzki acknowledged that retiring a year early, in 2017, remains a possibility.
“If things don’t go so well and it hurts everywhere, it could be that 2017 will be the end,” Nowitzki told German magazine Sport Bild, per AFP.com. “Actually, my plan is to complete the 20 years and play for Dallas until 2018. But just because I have signed a two-year contract doesn’t automatically mean that I will play for two years. It could happen next year.”
Nowitzki’s two-year deal with the Mavericks, which he signed over the summer, features a guaranteed salary for 2016/17, followed by a team option for 2017/18. Dallas will have until the end of June to exercise or decline that option, so if the veteran German forward has made his own decision by that point, it should be an easy call for the team.
Still, while Nowitzki’s injury woes this year have been discouraging, Mavs fans shouldn’t panic about his latest statement, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. As Sefko writes, Nowitzki has suggested all along that his two-year deal won’t necessarily bind him to playing in 2017/18. His plan has always been to play out the contract if he can, and the Mavs’ training staff is optimistic that the 38-year-old can still get healthy this season and have a strong second half. If that happens, there’s a very good chance Nowitzki continues his career in ’17/18.
If Nowitzki does play one more season, he could be joined by a promising young teammate. As our 2016/17 Reverse Standings show, Dallas is currently tied for the NBA’s worst record, which would give the team a great shot to land a top-three pick.
Mavs Notes: Finney-Smith, Nowitzki, Matthews
Dorian Finney-Smith has been a pleasant surprise for the Mavericks this season, starting 16 games for the team and contributing 21.1 minutes per game. After Monday night’s win over the Nuggets, in which Finney-Smith contributed 13 points and nine boards, Deron Williams suggested that the undrafted rookie is “putting himself in a good position to get a long-term contract next year from somebody” (Twitter link via Earl K. Sneed of Mavericks.com).
Perhaps the veteran point guard was projecting — while Williams’ deal with the Mavs expires next summer, Finney-Smith is under contract with the team for two more non-guaranteed seasons, so Dallas shouldn’t have to worry about losing him to a rival suitor anytime soon.
Here are a few more Mavericks-related notes:
- In a conversation with Chris Mannix (Twitter video link), Bobby Marks of The Vertical discusses the outlook for the Mavs, including addressing whether it might be time for the club to consider trading Dirk Nowitzki.
- Since joining the Mavericks in the summer of 2015, Wesley Matthews hasn’t looked like the same player he was in Portland, but his performance recently suggests he may finally be shedding the effects of his Achilles injury and playing up to his potential, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com.
- Speaking of injuries, Nowitzki and J.J. Barea are expected to ramp up their activity this week, but it’s still not clear when they’ll get back on the court for the Mavs, says Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News.
- In a chat for The Morning News, Sefko offered some thoughts on where he’d start if he were tasked with fixing the Mavs, and explored how the team might be able to add a second first-round pick for 2017.
Mavs Notes: Anderson, Barea, Injuries
The Mavs’ draft history in recent years has left a lot to be desired and that’s one reason why second-year player Justin Anderson‘s regression is alarming, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com writes. Anderson, the 21st overall pick in the 2015 draft, hasn’t seen his shooting touch translate to the NBA and seems to be battling against a confidence issue, as MacMahon points out. The Mavs, who are 5-18, were hoping for a step forward from Anderson, but his sophomore slump is one reason behind the slow start.
Here is more on Dallas:
- While there is a lot of focus on the Mavs being without Dirk Nowitzki, the absence of J.J. Barea has been detrimental to the team’s success as well, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes. Since Barea has been out with a strained left calf, the Mavs have been limited to 90 points or less in seven of the 13 games he has missed, Sefko points out.
- The silver lining of Nowitzki, Barea and Andrew Bogut all missing significant time in the early part of this season is that young players can make the most of their opportunities for the Mavs, Sefko writes in a separate story. Yet so far the Mavs have received mostly underwheliming results from the young group. Dallas is hoping to gain some insight on whether or not Salah Mejri and Dwight Powell should be part of a rebuilding process going forward, Sefko adds.
Mavericks Notes: Curry, Nowitzki, Bogut, Cuban
Injuries to Dirk Nowitzki and Andrew Bogut have depleted the Mavericks’ front line, but at least their backcourt is getting healthy, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Seth Curry returned to the lineup and played 25 minutes Friday night. Deron Williams no longer has a minutes restriction, while Devin Harris is playing, although he is still limited to 20 minutes per game. “I was a little careful with [Curry] with the minutes in his first game back,” said coach Rick Carlisle. “I thought considering he’d been out nine days, he did fine. Having that extra guy at the guard position really alleviates a minutes crunch. And it helps Devin’s situation, too.”
There’s more news out of Dallas:
Mavericks Notes: Barnes, Tanking, Fultz
The Mavs will need several offseasons to address their lack of talent, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com writes. MacMahon cites the team’s failures in the draft as well as the decision to include Jae Crowder in the ill-fated Rajon Rondo deal as reasons to why the team won’t be competing for a title anytime soon.
There’s more from Dallas:
- Harrison Barnes has been a bright spot during the Mavs’ horrendous season, MacMahon adds in the same piece. Barnes, who signed a four-year max contract with the team this offseason, is averaging career highs in points (20.4) and rebounds (5.7) per game.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News doesn’t believe the Mavs should start dealing away productive players in order to tank. The scribe cautions that teams bottoming out tend to stay near the bottom of the standings for several years.
- The Mavs were impressed with Washington’s Markelle Fultz during a recent scouting trip, Sefko adds in the same piece. Fultz is currently the top-ranked point guard and the second-ranked player overall, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
- Dwight Powell, who signed a four-year, $37MM deal with the Mavs over the summer, will see increased playing time as a result of Andrew Bogut‘s injury and the team believes he can handle the additional workload, MacMahon relays (ESPN Now link). “He’s progressing game to game, no question about it,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s gaining experience, recognition of situation, teammates being on the same wavelength with him. Many, many positives.”
DeMarcus Cousins Speaks Highly Of Mavs’ Organization
DeMarcus Cousins believes his brother, Jaleel, who plays for the Mavericks‘ D-League affiliate, is in a great situation, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News writes.
“It’s the Mavericks. It’s one of the best franchises in the league,” Cousins said. “[Mark] Cuban’s a great guy. [Rick Carlisle‘s] a great guy. [Jaleel is] under some good people. I’m confident in the franchise and I’m confident in his abilities, as well. I think it’s a good situation for him.”
The Mavs have inquired about the availability of Cousins in the past and they are expected to be among the teams expressing interest in the big man at the trade deadline should the Kings fall out of the playoff race, Townsend notes. It remains unlikely that the Mavs can acquire Cousins in a trade since they don’t have a ton of attractive assets.
Dallas could always attempt to sign Cousins during the summer of 2018 when the center will be an unrestricted free agent. Townsend notes that Cousins’ agent, Dan Fegan, has a strong working relationship with the franchise.
Cousins told Townsend that he has respect for the Mavs and added that it was “flattering” to hear that the they were interested in him. Townsend was dubious of his response, questioning the big man since he had apparently said in the past that he “liked” Sacramento as well. Cousins then corrected the reporter and exclaimed, “I love Sacramento.”
Andrew Bogut Diagnosed With Bone Bruise
DECEMBER 7, 10:53am: According to Bogut, the preliminary prognosis on his knee suggests he’ll be out for about 10 days, though he admitted there’s a chance he could miss up to three or four weeks (Twitter link via Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News).
DECEMBER 6, 4:00pm: Mavericks center Andrew Bogut has been diagnosed with a minor bone bruise in his right knee and could return to action within two weeks or so, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein (via Twitter). The team, which has not confirmed Stein’s report, initially diagnosed Bogut with a hyper-extended knee after he was forced out of Monday’s loss to Charlotte.
Head coach Rick Carlisle said earlier today that the Mavericks expect to be without Bogut for at least the next three games, and possibly longer, but he doesn’t think the injury will sidelined the former first overall pick for a significant period of time, per Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News.
“We’ll know more later,” Carlisle said. “My understanding is that this is not going to be terribly serious. He’s going to miss some time. We’ll probably know better in a day or two how much time. But I don’t see him playing (Wednesday against Sacramento) or Friday or Saturday, for sure. And probably longer.”
Bogut, who is in the final year of his contract, has become a popular subject of trade speculation with Dallas off to a poor start this season. The Mavs have insisted privately and publicly that they don’t intend to throw in the towel anytime soon and aren’t shopping Bogut at this point. However, in another month or two, if the club’s playoff chances continue to slip away, the front office will likely consider moving the 32-year-old, knowing that a rim-protecting, defensive-minded center would have value on the trade market.
The Celtics have been mentioned as one team that will likely explore the possibility of acquiring Bogut if the Mavs make him available. Based on Stein’s report, it doesn’t look like Bogut’s knee injury will affect his availability later in the season.