Can the Grizzlies Compete in the Southwest Division?
Mar 20, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) guards Memphis Grizzlies forward Jeff Green (32) during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Grizzlies defeated the Mavericks 112-101. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dallas Mavericks
One of the biggest stories of the offseason has involved the Dallas Mavericks.
Their roster has endured a major overhaul. Only a few players from last season’s roster remains for the Mavs. Eventful does not even begin to describe Free-Agency for owner Mark Cuban’s Dallas Mavericks.
The hubbub was centered around free-agent center DeAndre Jordan. He has been Dallas’ biggest intended target of the offseason and they really had a great chance of landing him. In fact, they had landed him for some hours until everything changed.
Jordan decided to leave the Los Angeles Clippers for the Mavs, but naturally, he had second thoughts. He could not leave his “brotherhood” in L.A. So, in melodramatic fashion, DeAndre changed his mind and signed a new contract with the Clippers immediately as Free-Agency’s moratorium period came to a close.
The Mavericks also had a prior commitment from free-agent guard Wesley Matthews–another big name of this offseason’s Free-Agency. Surprisingly, the entire DeAndre Jordan situation did not persuade Matthews’ final decision and he will in fact play in Dallas on a long-term contract beginning in 2015-16.
To continue the roster overhaul, Dallas native and Brooklyn Nets’ point guard Deron Williams finally received a buyout of his current contract from the Nets. He, of course, is heading home–a current trend around the league–and will now play for the Mavericks. If he could return to his dominant All-Star form, he and Matthews could provide a major surge to the Mavs in the Southwest Division’s standings next season.
As far as the center position goes, their club has had to resort to trading for Zaza Pachulia–a solid veteran, but he is no DeAndre Jordan.
There are a lot of questions surrounding Dallas, though.
How well will Dirk Nowitzki hold up this year and beyond? Can Williams return to being an above-average point guard? Will Matthews return to his normal self following a very serious season-ending injury sustained in 2014-15?
If all of these answers turn out to favor Cuban’s Mavs, do not be surprised to see them at the top of the division.
Next: Out-of-this-world moves being made in Houston?