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The Dallas Mavericks are fresh off of a deep postseason run that saw them come up just short of an NBA Finals berth. Nonetheless, Dallas proved they are a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference. But the Mavs have some work to do during the offseason. They need to add depth around Luka Doncic. Doncic was forced to play through injury and carry the team in the playoffs. This is even more prevalent now that Jalen Brunson is expected to sign in New York with the Knicks.
Brunson's expected departure could make the Mavs panic. They need another star to compliment Luka Doncic on the roster. However, there is one free agent guard who they need to avoid.
This is the one player the Mavericks need to avoid in 2022 NBA free agency.
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The player Mavs must avoid in 2022 NBA Free Agency
John Wall was once an extraordinary player. The veteran point guard is a five-time All-Star who many believe was on a Hall of Fame trajectory before getting hit by the injury bug.
But those injuries are one of the main reasons the Mavs need to steer clear.
Wall hasn't played more than 70 games in a season since 2016-2017. He averaged 23 points and just under 11 assists in 78 games that year. It was a magnificent season for Wall without question.
He made the All-Star team in 2017-2018 but was limited to 41 games. He enjoyed another productive campaign in 2018-2019, but played in only 32 games.
And then in 2019-2020, John Wall didn't play a single game due to a heel and achilles injury. Wall returned for 40 games in the 2020-2021 season and averaged 20 points and 7 assists. But in another limited season, his impact was minimal for the Rockets. And he sat out 2021-2022 with the Rockets awaiting a trade or buyout… which never came.
But that buyout came to fruition this past week. And Wall is now expected to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers. Dallas needs to sit back and allow that to happen. There is no need to compete with the Clippers for Wall's services.
So Wall is expected to be healthy heading into the 2022-2023 campaign. But his injury history is exceptionally risky.
So why might Dallas even be interested in John Wall?
Replacing Jalen Brunson
Finding a replacement for Jalen Brunson won't be an easy task. And the Mavs may face desperate times trying to do so. But Dallas needs to realize that Luka Doncic is versatile. He can run the point, play shooting guard, or even line up on the wing. So the Mavs don't necessarily need to add a point guard to replace Brunson.
There may be a temptation to bring in Wall as the replacement. But Wall isn't worth the risk. Even if Dallas gets him at a discount, the looming threat of injury should scare the Mavs away. And one has to wonder how productive Wall will be after playing in just 40 NBA games over the past three years.
I personally believe John Wall is a great player. He features a lethal combination of scoring prowess and playmaking ability. But Wall isn't at a point where he's going to help a team such as the Mavs reach the NBA Finals.
It will be interesting to follow the Dallas Mavericks 2022 NBA Free Agency attack. There are number of quality options on the open market. They will certainly need to find a way to replace Jalen Brunson. But John Wall is not the answer.
