Undrafted free agent already pushing for playing time on Mavericks

The point guard situation for the Dallas Mavericks is kind of a mess as they enter the season. Kyrie Irving is still recovering from a torn ACL and no timetable has been set for his return, and Dante Exum is dealing with some kind of knee soreness.

That leaves Brandon Williams, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell, and Ryan Nembhard as people to play point guard. Williams dealt with a hamstring injury in training camp and the preseason, but he should be good to go for the start of the season. Jaden Hardy has been as volatile as ever as a player. D'Angelo Russell is coming off the worst season of his career. So, is Ryan Nembhard possibly the best point guard on the roster?

Sep 29, 2025; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard (9) poses for a photo during the Mavericks 2025 media day at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Mavs head coach Jason Kidd was very complimentary of Nembhard this week, saying, “We’re going to continue because we’re getting healthy here. With Brandon Williams available, there are different combinations. Ryan could easily be in that rotation, he’s made a case for that. He’s on a two-way, so there are a lot of positive stories here. We have some time to make decisions, so we’ll see by the 21st who’s sturdy and how the rotation will look.”

Nembhard is one of three undrafted free agents on a two-way contract with the Mavs, joining Auburn sharpshooter Miles Kelly, and the recently signed Moussa Cisse. Nembhard led college basketball in assists last season, and between four seasons at Creighton and Gonzaga, he racked up nearly 900 total assists.

His impact on the floor was felt anytime he checked in for the Mavericks during the preseason, averaging 5.0 PPG and 5.0 APG in his four appearances. Dallas tried rolling with Cooper Flagg at point guard in the final two preseason games, something they feel comfortable with, but Nembhard's ability to push the ball and get everyone organized as a rookie was impressive.

How Does the Initial Point Guard Rotation Look?

With Wednesday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers being a "dress rehearsal" of sorts for the Mavs, it's likely that they continue to roll out Cooper Flagg at point guard unless it just flat out isn't working through the first few weeks of the season.

D'Angelo Russell is likely still the first guard off the bench, but Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard each have a case for that spot. Williams was electric in the final part of last season after Irving went down, averaging 15.4 PPG and 4.1 APG in his 13 appearances after Irving was injured. If he can expand on that for a full season, there's no reason for him to not see major minutes.

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