Should Devin Harris Get More Minutes?

When the long talked about Rajon Rondo trade finally happened, and the Dallas Mavericks were the team who landed him, it seemed like a signal of intent to the Western Conference and the rest of the league. Yet here we are with the playoffs just around the corner, and it’s a valid question to ask whether the team functions better with Rondo or Devin Harris on the floor.

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The Mavericks have a lot of talent, but up to now it just seems like Rondo hasn’t been the best fit for them. The Rajon Rondo from the 2010 NBA Finals, who was a triple-double machine, made show-stopping passes, and was a lockdown defender, would fit right in in Dallas, but this 2015 iteration is very different.

Since arriving in Big D, Rondo’s numbers have been very middle of the road. Averages of 9.1 points, 6.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds won’t wow anyone, particularly when you add over three turnovers a game and a free-throw percentage of 38.2 into the mix.

All of that combines for a plus/minus that shows that the Mavericks are 1.1 points worse off compared to their opponent when Rondo is on the floor. Sure plus/minus doesn’t always tell the full story, but that’s an alarming trend for a player who was brought in to make Dallas better.

Behind Rondo in the pecking order sits veteran combo guard Devin Harris. Harris is no longer the truly explosive speed merchant that he was in his early years in the league as a New Jersey Net, but he has developed veteran smarts and become a truly valuable player.

As in interesting point of comparison, when Harris has been on the floor this season, Dallas have found themselves 1.4 points better off. Even taking into account just the time since the Rondo trade, a moment which marked a drop off for Dallas, Harris still shows himself to be a positive with a plus/minus of 0.6.

This begs an interesting question: should the Mavericks adjust the way in which they have their point guard rotations structured?

Let’s take a look at how the pair compare per 36 minutes this season.

As you’ll see, Harris is the better scorer and has superior three-point range, while Rondo takes the edge in assists and rebounds. Turnovers are worth noting too though, as Harris is very adept at taking care of possession, a valuable skill.

It’s worth considering that that takes Rondo’s full season into account though too, and if we cut it back to just his time in Dallas, the picture gets a little tighter again.

So, with the same group of players around them, Rondo’s scoring has improved, but the rebound and assist gap is not quite as significant any more.

The pair are very different styles of point guard, so the numbers can’t tell the whole story either, but finding a greater balance between those two styles could definitely benefit Dallas.

As a Maverick, Rondo is averaging just over six minutes more than Harris a game, but if Rick Carlisle were to consider something closer to parity between the two it could give the Mavs a different look.

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