Mavs Practice: Porzingis Runs, Vet Waived, Newcomer Dealing With COVID
DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks unveiled one newcomer on Saturday and said goodbye to a veteran as well.
The Mavs announced that they requested waivers on veteran guard Courtney Lee, ending his tenure with the team after two seasons.
Lee originally came to the Mavs as a throw-in part of the trade with the New York Knicks for star big man Kristaps Porzingis, along with Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. Hardaway has become a standout here; Burke has departed and returned - and his play at guard is one reason Lee, who also departed and returned, is now gone.
In 24 games, including nine starts with the Mavs last season, Lee - who coach Rick Carlisle praised for providing locker-room leadership - averaged 4.5 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.
That transaction brings the Dallas roster down to the limit of 15 fully contracted players, as well as a pair of two-way players, as the Luka Doncic-led club continues its preparation for the NBA season-opener on Wednesday December 23 against the Suns in Phoenix.
Part of that 15-man group is young vet Wes Iwundu, who on Saturday said he missed a few days to start his first Mavs training camp due to COVID-19 protocols.
READ MORE: Wes Iwundu 1-on-1: Training Camp Opportunity, Playing with Luka
"Now I'm here, I'm getting a consistent run in with the guys,'' Iwundi said. "It just feels good."
The Mavs are not planning any more roster moves at this time, but they are excitedly awaiting the in-game availability of Kristaps Porzingis, who is rehabbing his knee and will hopefully be ready by mid-January.
“He looks good,” Carlisle said late in the week, noting that KP will likely travel and practice with the team next we. “He’s enthusiastic. He’s got a great vibe about how he’s feeling and how he’s progressing. There’s no timetable yet. It’s going to be at least January, but there are a lot of good signs.”
