Dallas does not have roster spots to fill. The Mavericks have 14 players under guaranteed contracts, plus Moses Brown on a partially guaranteed deal and he is expected to make the final roster. Their two-way spots are filled.
That’s not stopping the Mavs from working out some well-known veterans (and it’s not stopping someone from making sure that information is leaked to the media, even though these players are long shots at best to make the roster). From Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
Isaiah Thomas had been working out with the Lakers, but when Rajon Rondo became available, they filled their last roster spot with a point guard who helped them win a title. Thomas is trying to prove he is fully healthy following hip surgery that threw his career off track, and he played a total of 48 minutes for the Pelicans last season (at age 31). His offensive numbers haven’t been bad the past couple of years, but not good enough for teams to jump at an older player considered a defensive liability.
Stephenson has been out of the NBA since 2019, Ellis since 2017. It’s a longshot either of them makes an NBA roster, but the more they can impress in workouts, the more likely it is they get an invite to some team’s training camp — and get a foot in the door.
That probably won’t be the Mavericks’ door, however.
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Report: Mavericks work out veterans Stephenson, Ellis, Isaiah Thomas originally appeared on NBCSports.com