Dallas Mavericks: Mavs Get To The Point, Address Point Guard Situation

There is more than one reason the Dallas Mavericks finished with a record of 41-41 and missed the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. The obvious issue last season was the two months Dirk Nowitzki missed while recovering from offseason knee surgery. Nowitzki returned to a Mavericks offense that was far less efficient than the previous Mavericks teams he was a part of.

The Mavericks had a number of new pieces in place last season but the position cost them the most games in 2012-13 was the point guard position. Since the Mavericks 2008 trade for Jason Kidd, they have enjoyed stellar play at the point guard position. Jason Kidd and Jose Barea were crucial pieces to the Mavericks 2011 championship team.

The Mavericks tried to lure Deron Williams back home during the 2012 offseason to no avail, but they would at least have Jason Kidd for another season, or so they thought. Jason Kidd decided to join former Mavericks center Tyson Chandler on a New York Knicks team that suddenly had more talent than the Dallas squad he left behind.

Mark Cuban could not hide his disappointment when Jason Kidd left for the Big Apple. The Mavericks had dreams of Deron Williams running the point in 2012-13 and there was no backup plan in place once Jason Kidd was gone.

The Mavericks looked to free agency to fill the large void at the most important position on the court, but their options were limited. The Mavericks eventually worked out a sign-and-trade with the Indiana Pacers. The Mavericks sent free-agent center Ian Mahinmi to Indiana for point guard Darren Collison and shooting guard Dahntay Jones. Collison was attractive to Dallas as he was in the last year of his contract that would only count $2.3 million against the salary cap.

Collison was given the keys to the offense and there was optimism that his speed and ability to break defenders down off the dribble would be a valuable asset for Dallas. Collison lost his starting job in Indiana, but had shown promise in New Orleans while backing up superstar Chris Paul.  Collison started the season playing well for Dallas averaging 16.2 points and 7.2 assists during the first five games of the season.

The next two games he started gave Mavericks fans a taste of the inconsistency they would witness for the remainder of the season. Collison had a total of nine turnovers and shot 6-of-21 from field during the next two games. Both of these games were losses for the Mavericks, but head coach Rick Carlisle had few options.

Delonte West was expected to provide Dallas with an experienced veteran capable of running the team when it was needed, but he was dismissed after being fined for conduct detrimental to the team. The Mavericks used a number of point guards throughout the season. Derek Fisher, Dominique Jones and Rodrigue Beaubois all received chances to run the Mavericks offense at one point during the season.

Dallas eventually settled on veteran Mike James to run the team along with Darren Collison. Either way you looked at it; this was a position of weakness that had to be addressed in the offseason.

The Mavericks approached the offseason determined to improve their starter at the point guard position. Free-agent center Dwight Howard chose the Houston Rockets over a number of suitors that included the Mavericks and Dallas made signing a point guard their next priority.

The Mavericks signed Jose Calderon to a four-year deal worth $29 million. The signing of Jose Calderon makes sense in Dallas. He is a sharp veteran that coach Rick Carlisle can trust to make smart decisions. Calderon averaged 11.3 points and 7.1 assists last season in Toronto and Detroit.

Jose Calderon will be a great fit in Rick Carlisle’s system in Dallas. (Photo Credit/Bman/Flickr.com)

One of Calderon’s most impressive attributes is his ability to handle the basketball. Calderon averaged only 1.7 turnovers per game during the 2012-13 season, the second-lowest total in the NBA.

Calderon will ensure Dirk Nowitzki gets his hands on the ball in the best possible position to score. The Mavericks went through stretches in the fourth quarter last season where Nowitzki would not even touch the ball for minutes at a time. This should no longer be an issue with a veteran like Calderon running the team.

Another piece of the Mavericks half-court offense that should improve with Calderon is the pick-and-roll with Dirk Nowitzki. This was a predictable, yet difficult to contain aspect of the Mavericks offense for years. The Mavericks ran this play exceptionally well with Jason Terry during his tenure in Dallas.

Jose Calderon shot .461 percent from 3-point range last season, the highest percentage in the NBA. If opposing teams fail to keep up with Calderon on the high pick-and-roll, the Mavericks once again have a guard capable of making them pay. Calderon is not a strong perimeter defender so the Mavericks will need to provide him with help at times. Dallas will also rely on newly acquired rim protector Samuel Dalembert.

The Mavericks solidified the backup point guard position with the signing of Devin Harris. Harris spent the first three seasons of his career in Dallas before he was traded to New Jersey in the trade that landed the Mavericks Jason Kidd.

Devin Harris is recovering from a dislocated toe on his left foot. He is expected to return early in the season and will be a quality option for the Mavericks off the bench. (Photo Credit/Flickr.com)

Harris spent the 2012-13 season in Atlanta and averaged 9.9 points and 3.4 assists per game. Harris played 24.5 minutes per game and also spent time at the shooting guard position for the Hawks. Harris originally agreed to a three-year deal worth $9 million but an X-ray revealed that Harris had a dislocated toe on his left foot.

The Mavericks put the Harris signing on hold temporarily but eventually agreed with him on a one-year deal that will pay Harris the veteran’s minimum. Harris will not be available at the beginning of the season but he could become a bargain when he recovers from offseason toe surgery. Harris is expected to join the Mavericks in December.

With an eye to the future the Mavericks selected University of Miami point guard Shane Larkin with the No. 18 pick in the 2013 NBA draft. The Mavericks were thrilled to trade down five spots in the draft and still land a player with Larkin’s ability.

The Mavericks envision Larkin eventually playing a role similar to the one that J.J. Barea played on the Mavericks 2011 championship team. Barea repeatedly broke down opposing defenses and set up the Mavericks guards with open shots. The Mavericks will have to be patient with Larkin as he is recovering from a broken right ankle that he suffered while practicing for the summer league.

Shane Larkin is an explosive point guard who led one of the best NCAA programs in 2012-13. (Photo Credit/beekerphotography/Flickr.com)

Larkin is the son of Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin and led the Miami Hurricanes to a No. 2 seed in the 2013 NCAA tournament. The Mavericks were rumored to be interested in Larkin with the No. 13 overall pick and were fortunate to land him in the No. 18 spot after trading down. Larkin was a team leader in Miami, averaging 14.5 points and 4.6 assists per game during the 2012-13 season.

The Mavericks quest for point guard depth also took them to Israel this offseason. Dallas signed point guard Gal Mekel to a multiyear contract at the league-minimum salary. The deal is reported to be $2.3 million guaranteed over the next three seasons. Mekel was the MVP in Israel for the 2012-13 season and showed off his passing ability in the Summer League in Las Vegas. Mekel could get minutes early this season if Shane Larkin and Devin Harris are unable to play.

The Mavericks took a chance at the point guard position in 2012-13 with Darren Collison and they paid the price. Collison was a good teammate and a hard worker but he was not the answer in Dallas. The Mavericks were 0-7 in games that reached overtime until a Jan. 13 overtime win against the Sacramento Kings. The Mavericks went from being a smart, veteran team that executed well late to a team that made ill-advised passes and committed turnovers at the worst possible time.

The Mavericks were determined to address this issue in the offseason and they found the best available option in Jose Calderon. Calderon will improve the Mavericks half-court execution and decision making from the moment he hits the court. The Mavericks have upgraded their starter and backup at the point guard position and they are confident this will be a key reason they return to postseason play this year.

[slider_pro id=”7″]