Prospect Watch: Is Marshall on Mavs' radar?
Earl K. Sneed begins his series on potential prospects for the Dallas Mavericks in the upcoming NBA Draft, taking a look at North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall.
Prospect Watch: Is Marshall on Mavs' radar?
He seems like the perfect fit.
With 39-year-old point guard Jason Kidd entering free agency on July 1 and the likelihood of the Dallas Mavericks re-signing the future Hall of Famer unknown, there could sit another pass-first floor general in waiting should the soon-to-be former champs decide to go that route in the June 28 NBA Draft.
Kendall Marshall.
As detailed in Mavs.com’s first Mock Draft, Marshall finished second in the NCAA while averaging 9.8 assists a game as a sophomore for North Carolina. He also led the nation with a 3.48 assist-to-turnover ratio, leading Hoopsworld.com to believe that the Mavericks will take the 20-year-old and AP Third Team All-American with the No. 17 pick in the first round.
Meanwhile, CBSSports.com confirmed that Marshall may in fact be on the Mavs’ radar, reporting earlier in the week that the young guard will work out privately for the Dallas brass on Friday.
But there are also plenty of drawbacks that might keep the Mavs from leaning in that direction.
First of all, point guard might not be a dire area of need in the minds of the front office depending on free agency plans -- which includes financial flexible for the first time in Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s era -- and the fact that two young guards -- Rodrigue Beaubois and Dominique Jones -- are signed through next season.
There’s also Marshall himself, who is recovering from a broken right wrist (his off-shooting hand) and an undetected until recently small fracture in his elbow. Both of which ended his colligate career after sustaining the injuries in the third round of the NCAA tournament, causing doubt for potential suitors around a player that averaged just 8.1 points on 46.7 percent shooting and 35.4 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
Still recovering from the injuries last week in Chicago for the Draft Combine, Marshall told reporters, “I can’t do all the (physical) tests right now. I just want to show I can shoot the ball better than I did last season.”
Marshall also went on to admit that he decided to leave school early with fellow pro prospects Harrison Barnes, John Henson and Tyler Zeller departing from the Tar Heels, adding that the “timing was right” because “I’m at my best with weapons all around me.”
Now, however, Marshall will have to stand alone and stand out heading into the draft. And if Marshall is to land with the Mavs, he may just have to show no ill effects of the injuries and a better shooting form in order to impress in his private workout.
