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The Dallas Mavericks are at a huge crossroads at this point in their franchise. After another trip to the playoffs that ended in frustration, many questions surround this team. They have stars that are free agents, a core that has quickly gotten very old, and a couple of guys that just don't fit well with this current group of players.
Cutting out the fat, here are the five biggest questions that the Mavs are going to be facing over the next few months...
1) Do the Mavs Re-Sign Jason Kidd?
Yes, he is a future hall of famer. Yes, he still put up very balanced numbers. Yes, he shot a career high from behind the arc last season. However, while he'll still impress you occasionally with a sweet pass, or a fourth quarter steal, his effectiveness has diminished considerably.
His feet are no longer quick enough to stay in front of talented point guards, sometimes making him a liability on the defensive end. When you have a player who made his name by passing, rebounding, and playing great defense, it makes a big difference when the latter point of that triangle disappears.
Yet, the most troubling and frustrating thing about this version of Jason Kidd's game, is that he can't even make layups consistently anymore. It literally seems as though he is afraid to attempt a shot that isn't a wide open three.
Numerous times, Kidd would penetrate into the lane and pass up a wide open layup or shot. Instead, he would jump and get caught in the air looking to dump off the ball. More often than not, this resulted in turnovers.
Looking ahead, Kidd is not going to be the point guard that leads the Mavs to a title. There will be a handful of teams that would love to make Kidd their backup point guard, or to have him help tutor one of their own young ball handlers.
The only way the Mavericks sign Jason Kidd to another contract is if Kidd's options are considerably smaller than he would like, which would allow them to sign him for less money. The only other reason the Mavs could re-sign him would be if they do not pick up a talented point guard in the draft, or elsewhere in free agency.
MY TAKE: Do not re-sign Kidd, find a point guard in the draft or free agency. Having Kidd on the Mavs at this point is simply a waste of time.
2) Which way do the Mavericks go in the Draft?
The Mavericks drastically need talented youth at the center, point guard, and shooting guard positions. This year's draft class is one of the weakest in years. There are an abundance of hit or miss players who will be rookies this upcoming season.
The Mavs have five different roads they can go down with this one. They can trade up to get in the top four or five picks and try to get an immediate impact player. They can trade down to possibly get the same value later in the draft as they would at pick 22 since it is such a weak draft.
Either one would make sense, however it would be smarter to trade up.
If they stand pat at their current spot, they then have to decide on which position to draft. While they need a center and a shooting guard, point guard is the immediate issue here. Whichever way they decide to go, they desperately need to add talented youth to their basketball team.
MY TAKE: Look for them to take someone like North Carolina's Ty Lawson. With the Jason Kidd situation up in the air, and JJ Barea as their only only point guard on the roster, this shouldbe a no brainer.
3) Should they trade Josh Howard?
If there is a decision that could change the outlook for this franchise more than anything else, this is it. Josh Howard is a player that has all the talent in the world, but his low basketball and general I.Q. prevent him from being a legitimate piece of a championship team.
He is supposed to be the Mavericks' number two player, complimenting Dirk Nowitzki, but he has yet to figure out how to do that. If he played to his strengths, which are slashing to the basket, defense, and rebounding, he would fit perfectly. However, he has turned into a player in love with the jump shot, and a guy who doesn't know when to pass the ball.
He just no longer is a logical fit in Dallas, and the Mavs need to move him. The problem with this is that his inconsistency hurts his trade value. Talent wise, the Mavericks could trade him straight up for a guy like Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Michael Redd, and Jason Richardson among others.
Unfortunately, his mental incapacity and the baggage he brings make it almost impossible to do one of those deals without throwing in another significant piece or two.
MY TAKE: The Mavericks cannot turn their ship around and head back up the mountain with Josh Howard on their team, simple as that.
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