Mavericks: Do they need to trade Deron Williams?
As of late, rumors have surfaced that the Cleveland Cavaliers are interested in Deron Williams. But if the interest becomes mutual, should the Dallas Mavericks pull the plug on their point guard?
Media outlets like iSportsTimes and HNGN have reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers have expressed interest in Dallas Mavericks point guard Deron Williams. If rumors hold true, should the Mavs give in to the idea of trading away their starting point guard?
The trade deadline is just three months away and with the Dallas Mavericks sitting at 2-12, the team could look to move different pieces else where.
Why Deron Williams?
Williams has been the starting point guard for the Mavs since the beginning of last season. As of late though, the team has not seen much of their starting guard. D-Wil is believed to be bothered by tightness in his left calf. Since the beginning of the season, he has played in just six games thus far.
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Last season was no exception either, as Williams missed 17 games with a sports hernia. The last time Dallas actually saw their starting point guard truly healthy was March of last season.
His injury history is nothing new to the Mavs. The Mavericks experienced the same results with former player Chandler Parsons.
Williams has proven to be somewhat valuable for the Mavs. But if injuries continue to pile up, it is unsure how long he will be in Dallas.
Williams Lack of Production
Besides having a history of injuries, D-Will’s production has not been the same for the past couple of years. For the Mavs last season, Williams averaged 14.1 points per game along with 5.8 assists and 2.9 rebounds. This season though, the numbers have not added up as he has averaged just over 12.5 points a game to go with 4.8 assists and 1.8 rebounds.
This is not the only time in his career his numbers have dropped. During the 2012-2013 campaign, Williams was having a well-rounded season averaging 18.9 points per game with 7.7 assists. The next season his numbers dropped to 14.3 points per game with 6.1 assists.
It has been five years since Deron Williams last made the All-Star game. His best season came in 2010-2011 when he averaged a double-double almost every game. That season Williams finished the year with 20.1 points per game with 10.3 assists a game as well.
The All-Star version of Williams seems like a thing of the past, and as of late it does not seem that numbers have improved.
What does this mean?
If the Dallas Mavericks were to lose Deron Williams, the team would still be loaded with point guards who could fill the empty role. Back up guard J.J. Barea is expected to be back in a couple of weeks and before he went down with an injury, he was averaging 16.3 points a game with 5.4 assists. An intelligent veteran like Barea would have no problem jumping into the starting role. Other guards like Devin Harris, assuming he comes back too, and Seth Curry all have the capability to pick up the slack Williams could leave behind.
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At 2-12, the Dallas Mavericks have nothing to lose if they were to trade any one of their players. While the Mavs have yet to express interest in trading Williams, it is an option that could be discussed down the road.