Mavericks: What to Expect from John Jenkins

The Mavericks rebounded from a bad first few days of July by regrouping and constructing a roster that features a whole lot of shooting.

One of those hired guns is former Atlanta Hawk John Jenkins, a former first round pick (#23 in 2012) who struggled to get much playing time for Mike Budenholzer but has shown the ability to knock down shots at the professional level.

Rick Carlisle has had somewhat of a history of helping young players turn their career around with the Mavericks. Can he do it again with sharpshooter John Jenkins?

Andrew Tobolowsky: I don’t think so. Rick’s reputation cuts two ways here. Some young guys he saves, some he destroys. If Jenkins couldn’t find a way to get his shot off on a team as rich in shooters as Atlanta, I just don’t think it’s going to happen. He also hasn’t shown himself to be much of a defender.

I think his time in Dallas will be a lot like Steve Novak‘s. Sometimes you’ll wonder why a guy who can shoot that well can’t get minutes, but there’s some good reasons.

Charles Herbert: If he gets time. The main barrier to young players’ improvement has been earning enough of Carlisle’s trust to get consistent minutes on the court. Carlisle has a good recent track record with players who’ve actually seen the court in Crowder, Aminu and Wright. That being said, others who did not really crack the rotation here have proven to be plenty capable in other situations, see Anthony Morrow, Gerald Green, Corey Brewer.

Some of this depends on how quickly Wes Matthews comes back. If he’s out for an extended period of time, Jenkins could be pressed into service and could even start given Carlisle’s stated preference to bring Harris off the bench. If Jenkins earns and keeps a place in the rotation, he’ll develop his game in a number of ways. If Justin Anderson proves more worthy of those minutes early in the season, or Wes Matthews only misses limited time, it could be hard for Jenkins to carve out a sizable role

Aaron Clements: Sadly, I don’t think Jenkins will see a substantial amount of playing time this season. I think he’s a fantastic three-point shooter, but due to his inevitable role as a young, end-of-the-bench shooter, I doubt Carlisle will play him too often. Hopefully I’m proven wrong, but I see Jenkins with a Wayne Ellington-like role next season.

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Kohl Rast: I don’t really feel that I know much about John Jenkins but if there was ever a time for a young player to shine in a Mavs uniform it might be right now. Carlisle is an excellent developer of talent but Dallas is a team with a veteran lineup and an even more veteran bench almost every year.

But this year with all the recently signed rookies and young guys from Summer league and the expectation of Dwight Powell and Justin Anderson being immediate contributors to the team, I think that Jenkins has as good a chance as anyone to make a splash in the Mavericks rotation and, in the process, reinvigorate his career.

Isaac Harris: The cool thing about Jenkins is it feels his career is just starting. Coming out of Vandy, we all knew the kid could shoot. I think he will get some minutes mainly because of injuries. My worry is his defense, and with grumblings around the Mavs on how their focus is on defense this year, I think we will see Jenkins sparingly. Although I hope I am wrong because he is still young, can shoot the ball, and on a nice contract.

I think it also depends on our direction also. If for some God awful reason Wes or CP get hurt again, and we know for sure we won’t get close to playoffs, then I think we try to maximize his potential.

Daniel Devine: I love John Jenkins so yeah, I certainly think so. The problem with him in Atlanta was they were too good and his flaws stood out to much for him to see the floor much. If Carlisle wants to set him up for success and use him the right way then it’s up to him but I’m ready for the experience.

Jason Lee: Standing at 6’ 4”, Jenkins has the body to become more than just a one dimensional player. Yes, he can shoot and he will have his shot to do so in Dallas but being trigger-happy from three-point range alone won’t log you many minutes in this league, especially under a strict coach like Carlisle. The key here is getting the most out of Jenkins defensively. Mavs fans wouldn’t mind if he somehow transformed into Delonte West defensively.

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