The Mavericks’ Center Conundrum: A ticking Time Bomb
Metaphorically, that is the increasingly loud, and urgent, sound of not one, but multiple clocks ticking in Jason Kidd’s mind. It’s challenging enough that a torrent of injuries forced Kidd and his staff to piece together the Mavericks’ center position with spare parts, bailing wire, and duct tape.
Compounding matters, Moses Brown has one game left on his 10-day contract; Kessler Edwards has 10 NBA games remaining on his two-way contract; and Dwight Powell is on a 10-to-12-minute playing restriction.
The Mavericks (32-28) host Milwaukee on Saturday, the first of two meetings against the Bucks in five days, with injured big men Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II not scheduled to be re-evaluated until March 6. Where the center position is concerned, it’s as though the Mavericks are holding on by their fingernails while at the same time the walls are closing in.
"God-willing," Kyrie Irving said, "we get healthy at the right time."
After finishing February 6-5 despite severe shorthandedness and the shocking Feb. 1 trade of Luka Doncic, the Mavericks begin March with 22 regular-season games left and, realistically, two weeks of additional waiting for Davis’ return.
The centers who have started Dallas’ last seven games have been 6-8 two-way player Edwards and 7-2, 10-day-contract pickup Brown.
A Ticking Time Bomb at Center
Brown is coming off a 20-point, 11-rebound performance in Friday’s win over Charlotte, but in all likelihood Saturday’s game will be his last as a Maverick this season. Brown signed his 10-day contract on Feb. 20. That contract expires Sunday. Ordinarily, Dallas would sign Brown to a second 10-day contract, but according to spotrac.com, his 10-day salary of $119,972 pushed Dallas’ salary allocation to $178,080,852.
That’s a mere $51,148 below the first-apron for hard-capped teams. Unless the Mavericks waive a player to shed salary, that isn’t enough to sign Brown or anyone else to a prorated 10-day deal until at least April 10, the last week of the regular season.
Kessler Edwards’ Limited Playing Time
According to Kidd’s calculations, the Mavericks only have 10 games remaining of Edwards. Under NBA rules, players on two-way contracts can be active for a maximum of 50 NBA games. Edwards has played in 30 Mavericks games, but apparently has been on the active roster for 10 others. Kidd said that had P.J. Washington not been ruled out for Thursday’s game with a right ankle sprain, Edwards would have been taken off the active roster and at least temporarily been sent to the G League Texas Legends.
"We’ll see how our health comes here in the next couple of weeks," Kidd said. "If we can get healthy, then we’ll probably find a way to sit him. If not, he’s going to play."
Conclusion
The Mavericks are facing a daunting task at the center position, with a plethora of injuries and a shortage of healthy bodies. Despite a valiant effort from Moses Brown, it’s unclear what the future holds for the team’s big men. As the season wears on, it’s crucial for the Mavericks to find a way to get healthy and find a solution to their center conundrum.
FAQs
Q: How many games does Kessler Edwards have left on his two-way contract?
A: 10
Q: How many NBA games can players on two-way contracts be active for?
A: 50
Q: How much is Moses Brown’s 10-day salary?
A: $119,972
Q: How much is Dallas’ salary allocation after signing Brown to his 10-day contract?
A: $178,080,852
Q: When will the Mavericks re-evaluate the injured big men?
A: March 6
