Could Patrick Beverley Be Dallas Mavericks' Next Starting Point Guard?
With Rajon Rondo leaving, the Dallas Mavericks will once again have a void to fill at point guard this summer. Patrick Beverley of the Houston Rockets could be a potential target once the Mavs decide to address the position.
Beverley will be a restricted free agent this offseason, which means he could be available even though the Rockets maintain the right to match any contract offers he receives. The Mavericks have a lot of holes to plug, and a player like Beverley could be a competent solution in the backcourt.
But it's not the only roster void the Mavs have to fill, and how much money they'd potentially be able to offer Beverley is still up in the air.
Breaking the Habit
Historically, Dallas has had trouble finding consistency at the point. Ever since the Dirk Nowitzki era commenced, the position has been a virtual revolving door. Outside of Jason Kidd's 4.5 seasons as the primary floor general, the Mavs have essentially settled on placeholders since his departure in 2012.
Last season sums up the the issue perfectly, as Jameer Nelson was moved just one month into the season. Rondo was supposed to finally bring stability at the position, but he was a horrible fit and will move on this summer.
The season prior, Jose Calderon appeared as a solid offensive complement to Dirk Nowitzki, but he was also shipped off to the New York Knicks in a trade package for Tyson Chandler.
Dial back a few more years, and Dallas had Jason Terry, a tweener guard, replacing the departed Steve Nash as the team's primary ball-handler.
It's almost comical how almost every team around the league seems to have a competent point guard, while the Mavericks are forced to settle for placeholders on short-term deals.
Yet it's understandable that things have worked out this way. Dallas has had a very clear strategy of hunting for superstars in free agency over the last couple of years, including elite point guards. The Mavs have been forced to settle for whatever remains after failing to lure a franchise player.
That mentality is seemingly not going to change. Dallas has its crosshairs set on names like DeAndre Jordan and LaMarcus Aldridge this summer, according to ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon. Landing one of them would make it difficult to land lucrative pieces in other positions.
However, if the Mavericks once again miss out on an elite big man, they'd likely re-sign Chandler. Assuming he comes back at a reasonable price—somewhere in the vicinity of $12 million per year—Dallas could actively pursue upgrades in its backcourt.
Houston would probably match any deal up to $5 million per year for Beverley, but anything exceeding that would become a progressively tougher pill to swallow.
Even though he has complemented James Harden well, he shot 38.3 percent from the field last season and could probably be replaced from the Rockets' point of view. He played just 56 games last year due to injury, and his breakout campaign in 2013-14 was far more encouraging.
Houston general manager Daryl Morey views all his players as assets, as proven by his reluctance to match Dallas' offer sheet for Chandler Parsons last season. With that in mind, there is certainly a price at which Beverley could be had.
Then again, the Mavericks would have to hurry to even have a shot at Beverley. As soon as the free-agency doors open on July 1, teams will be in full-swing looking to sign players. While those with cap space will battle it out for big names, franchises that only have a limited amount of room could beat Dallas to the punch and throw an offer Beverley's way.
There is a little bit of breathing room, considering most teams around the league are set at point guard, but the Mavericks still need to act fast. There is also the looming possibility of Dallas exploring trade options for the Denver Nuggets' Ty Lawson, although he doesn't appear to be at the top of the wish list, per MacMahon.
Any other possibility is a distraction, and if Dallas wants Beverley, it will have to multitask and initiate talks early. Apparently, Parsons is already ahead of schedule in that department, as he has kept in touch with his former teammate.
"I hear from Chandler every day," Beverley said, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. "It’s hard, but I try not to think about it. I can’t talk about contracts. It’s going to be a fun summer. I have put myself in a position to be set for life, and that’s something that I never thought was possible growing up."
Is Beverley Worth It?
Beverley is a nice point guard, especially at a $5 million price tag. But it's not entirely impossible that Dallas would have to offer him a multiyear deal of $9 million or more per year to force Morey to surrender. That's a whole lot of money for an offensively limited player like Beverley.
Depending on how Dallas' other roster moves shake out, it should have sufficient room to throw that type of money at Beverley. He isn't worth quite that much in a vacuum, but he would be a great fit in what Dallas is trying to build. That type of deal would also be an easier pill to swallow with the cap set to rise in 2016 and 2017.
The Mavericks were great offensively last season (pre-Rondo), but they were a below-average defensive team. They allowed 103.7 points per 100 possessions, ranking 18th in the league, according to ESPN Hollinger stats.
As long as Nowitzki is on the roster, the Mavericks will have no trouble posting a top-10 offense. The improvement clearly has to come on the other end, and it has to start on the perimeter.
The Mavericks allowed the most three-point makes and the fourth-highest three-point percentage in the league last season. Perimeter breakdowns were a common occurrence, as Chandler was helpless trying to make up for everyone's mistakes. Solidifying the backcourt with an elite defender would help a lot of those issues.
Beverley constantly gets into the face of his matchup and puts on relentless pressure. He sticks to guys like glue, bounces around screens and can guard bigger guys. Having a guy like that is a huge comfort for whoever is playing next to him.
The question mark comes on the offensive end. Beverley doesn't really have much firepower. He is an awful finisher at the rim, which is reflected in his terrible field-goal percentage. He offers just enough shooting to get by as a floor-spacing guard, and he isn't a huge liability as long as he isn't relied upon as the primary playmaker.
If Dallas goes for Beverley, it would have to add another playmaking shooting guard (assuming Monta Ellis leaves). Theoretically, the Mavs could try to bring in another elite three-and-D guy like Danny Green and put the ball in Parsons' hands. He might not be able to run the show for 48 minutes, but Parsons is more than good enough to fill a point forward role.
While Ellis and Beverley could complement each other pretty well, there's something intriguing about choosing the route of two elite defenders in the backcourt. It would ensure that the majority of the starting lineup is made up out of positive defensive influences, which is what Dallas truly needs.
It's hard to determine whether Beverley is truly worth a potential eight-figure-per-year deal. He won't single-handedly transform the Mavs into a contender, but he could be a crucial piece to the puzzle. If Dallas decides to go for him, it will have to carefully craft out the roster to make up for Beverley's flaws.
You can follow me on Twitter: @VytisLasaitis
