This week, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers and signed Spencer Dinwiddie to a one-year contract, making one of the most underappreciated offseason acquisitions.
Prior to training camp, which begins in two months, this transaction technically filled up the Mavs’ 15-man roster. However, Dallas appears to be focused on making one more change that would significantly alter this squad.
Despite having a full roster, Dallas is set on re-signing Markieff Morris, which means the Mavs will need to find room on the roster.
There are rumors that A.J. Lawson may be cut to make place for Markieff Morris.
The Mavs’ teenage wing A.J. Lawson “is the most vulnerable player on the roster to make room for Morris,” according to NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription needed). The Mavericks had been rumored to be interested in re-signing Morris for weeks, and it now appears that Lawson will need to be cut in order to facilitate this deal.
Given Dallas’ desire to retain Morris and add guard depth, the indications have been that Lawson will be leaving the team for a few weeks now. The summer could bring an end to Lawson’s time with the Mavericks.
Despite Lawson’s promising career as a Maverick and his impressive performance at Summer League in Las Vegas this summer, Dallas appears to value Morris’ leadership more than the chance that Lawson would develop into a solid NBA rotation player.
Waiving Lawson in order to retain Morris wouldn’t be a horrible idea, given how important Morris was to the Mavericks throughout the regular season and the postseason, and how important the team believes he is to their success.
Both leadership and chemistry are crucial, and Morris’ teammates are often quick to compliment him. Morris’s expertise is invaluable to this club, and it appears like he will return to Dallas for the upcoming campaign. Re-signing Morris might not seem like a significant decision at first, but his contribution off the court is invaluable.
With this latest speculation, it appears that Lawson will suffer as a result, and the Mavs will probably be able to retain their excellent leader from the previous campaign and sign him to a veteran minimum contract. After Dallas signed Dinwiddie, it became evident that Lawson wouldn’t have room on the squad, and it appears like they’re trying to go in a different path.
Keep checking back with us for the most recent rumors and updates regarding A.J. Lawson, Markieff Morris, and the Dallas Mavericks during this summer.