With Kyrie Irving still sidelined by an ACL tear, the Dallas Mavericks have turned to rookie guard Ryan Nembhard, and the undrafted Canadian is making the most of the opportunity.
The 22-year-old, signed to a two-way contract, has started Dallas’ last four games—three of them wins—while averaging 17.0 points, 7.5 assists and just 1.3 turnovers in 28.3 minutes. He is shooting 65.1% from the field and 66.7% from three-point range over that span.
Nembhard’s 15-point, 13-assist outing in Wednesday’s victory over Miami added to a historic week. According to the team, he is the first undrafted rookie ever to record at least 15 points and 10 assists in consecutive games. He is also the first rookie since turnovers became an official stat in 1977-78 to total 40 or more points, 20 or more assists and no more than one turnover across a two-game stretch.
Roster and cap complications
Because Nembhard is on a two-way deal, he can be active for up to 50 regular-season games; Wednesday’s contest was only his 16th. Promoting him to a standard contract now would be difficult financially. Dallas sits roughly $1.29 million below the second-apron hard cap, and a prorated rookie minimum deal for Nembhard would count $1,715,607 against the cap due to tax rules. That figure drops to $1,280,107 on January 6, when the Mavericks could squeeze him onto the 15-man roster.
Dallas technically has a full roster, but guard Dante Exum is out for the season after knee surgery. Waiving Exum could create space, yet the team cannot add another salary until early January without exceeding the cap. Even then, elevating Nembhard would leave the Mavericks only about $12,000 shy of the hard-cap ceiling.
Veteran support
Star center Anthony Davis has been impressed by the rookie’s poise. “He’s constantly asking questions,” Davis said. “There’s been times where he’s talking to me in the middle of a play—‘AD, roll right here.’ I don’t know if he’s gonna be a two-way too much longer. All the guys love playing with him. He makes the right plays.”
Nembhard is taking the situation in stride. “I’ll let my agents and everybody figure that out,” he said after Wednesday’s win. “If I go on the court and handle business and do my job at a high level, then that will take care of itself. I’m just trying to win games and enjoy hooping.”
With 34 active games remaining before he hits his two-way limit, Dallas still has time to evaluate one of the season’s early surprises—and to determine how soon a roster move must be made.
Source: HoopsRumors
