Rashard Lewis Fails Physical; Won’t Join Mavericks

Lately I got turned onto a new video game called Infamous: Second Son to play when I’m not working or writing or writing at work. To upgrade your playing character you absorb these shiny blue ornaments called Shards.

Therefore, I was always thinking about the new Dallas Mavericks addition, 6’10” shoot-first “big” man Rashard Lewis. You may know him as the guy who broke the NBA Salary Cap in the 2007 offseason. Or perhaps recognize him for filling a Juwan Howard-like role on the 2013 NBA Champion Miami Heat squad.

Rashard Lewis signed with the Mavericks just four short days ago for the league minimum, the 34-year old veteran set to assume a reserve role with perhaps some minutes at the stretch four position for the retooled Dallas basketball team.

Today though, Lewis’ physical revealed that he needs right knee surgery and the club voided the one year contract for the minimum, which can be used elsewhere on a variety of options or chipped towards the roughly $2.7 million remaining cap space to a player like Andray Blatche, Mo Williams, Jameer Nelson or Emeka Okafor.

Where you think I’m gonna end up?

Photo Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports

Not known for ever being a presence inside, surely not a physical presence (he last averaged over 5 RPG in 2010-2011 with the Magic and Wizards and has averaged a meager 2.2 and 1.8 boards per contest in the last two seasons for the Heat) Lewis’ role with the team was up in the air from role player if his shot was on to reserve and perhaps a mentor to players of all ages on the veteran roster.

I wasn’t against the signing by any means, but it was a headscratcher to toss even the minimum at a player that doesn’t seem to fill a finite role with the 2014-2015 Dallas Mavericks roster, a roster that still has room for a couple players at least, one that will most certainly play a key role off the bench.

Money aside, Lewis had a guaranteed roster spot that could and now should be used elsewhere to help bolster the Mavericks bench or perhaps even usher in a new starting point guard, adding a bit more shuffling to an offseason that isn’t even over yet.

Lewis, who redeemed what bit of value he might have left with an above average showing in the 2014 NBA Finals due to a shallow and turrible, turrible Heat bench, could still land with the Mavericks and make his season debut in 2015 a la Devin Harris last offseason, who renegotiated a new deal with the Mavericks after failing a physical.

Don’t expect anything similar financially with the Rashard Lewis situation to the Devin Harris situation. He’s still Rashard Lewis, but if Cubes and Donnie see a role for him on this upcoming edition of Dallas Mavericks basketball that I can’t stop dreaming about, then I should just shut up and accept that he’ll do fine here.

Still, lots of solid options left and thanks to discounts from certain players–none bigger or even close to Dirk Nowitzki‘s hometown discount–the Mavericks are still in great position to improve upon a much, much improved roster.