The Dallas Mavericks made a big move in the waiver market by signing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to a contract, giving Kristaps Porzingis an intriguing teammate. Kidd-Gilchrist is a capable defender and should be able to shore up the leaky defense of the Mavs.
Kristaps Porzingis was asked after the Mavs' 123-119 loss to the Utah Jazz about the acquisition the Dallas front office pulled off. Per Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News, KP positively greeted the inclusion of the defensive-minded forward.
I asked Porzingis about Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and here’s what he had to say: pic.twitter.com/0lH5qFkpbA
— Callie Caplan (@CallieCaplan) February 11, 2020
Porzingis credited Kidd-Gilchrist, his new Mavs teammate, for his ability to defend players.
“He's a good defender. I think he's gonna give us that energy and spark on defense, maybe. But we'll see. I haven't seen him play for a while, maybe I haven't watched enough basketball. But I'm happy to have a new addition to the team and let's get to work.”
Kidd-Gilchrist was selected with the second overall pick in the 2012 Draft by the Hornets, hoping that he'll become a two-way threat for the team. However, he never fulfilled his potential and immediately found himself out of the starting lineup. He has a new start with the Mavs.
MKG has been able to cut a niche for himself on the Hornets. He became a solid defender in the league. His career averages of 8.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks is average role player numbers. However, he's a pretty good defender who can guard the best of them on the court.
His defensive effort is something that Mavs badly need. While they are a very strong offensive team, their defense leaves a lot to be desired. They collapse against better teams down the stretch, and that is not acceptable for teams aspiring to make the playoffs.
Mavs fans hope Kidd-Gilchrist will be able to inject more defensive fervor to a team that badly needs one.
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