Vince Carter doesn't hold back about Mavs' contender status

Despite pairing an All-Star guard in Kyrie Irving with superstar Luka Doncic, ESPN analyst Vince Carter doesn't believe the Dallas Mavericks are true contenders right now.

“No. I don’t think so. Not right now,” Carter tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Mac Engel.

“The reasons are many,” Carter continues, “but among them are they need, and don’t have, a Vince Carter-type.”

“Not young, Vinsanity-Vince who could jump over defenders. They need veteran Vince; the one who understood the game, the locker room, the floor, and could in-bounds the ball, defend, and make shots… I do think (Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic) can work, the two of them together… But I feel the issue is the roster; that’s the problem.”

Carter's comments are curious because it's worth noting that VC played for the Mavericks from the 2011-12 to 2013-14 season, reaching the NBA Playoffs in two of the three seasons he played for Dallas. Carter, then in his mid-30s, played an integral though tertiary role for the Mavs as they tried to reach the NBA Finals.

A role that Carter believes Dallas is currently lacking, particularly after trading away defensive stud Dorian Finney-Smith.

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Whether or not the Mavericks will be able to add those types of players this offseason will be their priority. So much so that it might be their gameplan whether they're able and willing to re-sign Irving or not.

After all, for all of the offensive talent the Mavs added with Kyrie, Christian Wood and even rookie Jaden Hardy, they neglected the defensive end.

While it may be a guard's league, teams that can get it done on both ends are simply the most formidable in the league.

The true contenders.

Vince Carter doesn’t hold back about Mavs’ contender status