Offseason questions: How high is B-Wright's ceiling?
Earl K. Sneed continues his offseason questions series, taking a look at the potential of 24-year-old Dallas Mavericks big man Brandan Wright.
Offseason questions: How high is B-Wright's ceiling?
It is easy to see why the Golden State Warriors (via a trade with Charlotte) selected big man Brandan Wright with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.
At 6-foot-10 and 210 pounds, Wright possesses all of the physical tools to be a stud at the professional level after starring in his lone colligate season at North Carolina.
But since averaging 14.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.76 blocks per game and connecting on 64.6 percent from the field for the Tar Heels, Wright hasn’t been able to showcase his skills for a full season, hampered by nagging injuries during his first three seasons with the Warriors and the Nets.
However, Wright reemerged on the basketball scene last year and even garnered late-season talk of Most Improved Player honors, playing in 49 games for the Dallas Mavericks during the shortened season, despite missing six games due to a concussion, and averaging 6.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in just 16.1 minutes off the bench.
His 13 double-figure scoring outings and a breakout performance against Houston on March 24 in a 101-99 overtime road win, when he scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and blocked a career-high seven shots, further cemented the 24-year-old as a young component of the Mavs’ future.
Behind Wright, the Mavs finished with a season-high 15 blocks in that win. But Wright maintained his quiet demeanor and kept his focus on helping the Mavs reach the postseason, saying simply, “We’re the best defense in the West and we’ve gotta play like we are. It was a team effort; guys did a good job of funneling guys to me and, if they were beat or whatever, I was there to pick up the slack. But it was a team effort.”
That performance even earned Wright some praise from 11-time All-Star and team leader Dirk Nowitzki, who said: “I think Brandan Wright has been great for us all year long with his role — great touch around the basket, blocking shots, getting rebounds.”
Wright would gone on to see his first time in the postseason, but struggled to make an impact against the Oklahoma City Thunder’s physical frontline as the Mavericks fell in a first-round series sweep. Now, just like when he entered the league, the question isn’t can he play at the next level but how high is Wright’s ceiling?
Playing most of his time as the Mavs’ third-string center last season, Wright clocked limited action behind Brendan Haywood and Ian Mahinmi. But after the Mavs used the amnesty waiver on Haywood and shipped Mahinmi to Indiana in a sign-and-trade, Wright could play a more prominent role in the ‘12-13 campaign.
With new addition Chris Kaman expected to assume the starting role at the 5 spot, Wright is his logical first sub ahead of rookie second-rounder Bernard James. Wright could also see more time backing up Nowitzki at power forward, although newcomer Elton Brand will likely play the majority of his minutes in that role.
Still, after demonstrating an uncanny ability to produce highlight reel plays above the rim at both ends of the floor, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle will head into the season looking to find a way to unleash Wright’s untapped potential. Carlisle could also use the big man in a multitude of ways after saying, “If a team is playing small, he’s a valuable guy because he can be a presence at the rim and he can guard perimeter guys when needed.”
With that said, it will be on Wright to continue to develop as he tries to further display the talent that made him a lottery pick just five years ago.
