Dallas Mavericks: Where Does Yogi Ferrell Fit In?

The Dallas Mavericks were incredibly lucky to find Yogi Ferrell when they did last season. Now, with one of the best point guards from the draft, where does Yogi fit in to the future of the Mavs?

The Dallas Mavericks are once again overstocked at the point guard position. In the past, we have seen Dallas go guard heavy on a few occasions, but this time the Mavs are going to have to be really creative with their guard play. The depth and talent are there but the Mavs went a little bit too deep this time.

There are four capable point guards on the Mavericks roster right now. Dennis Smith Jr. appears to be the clear cut favorite as the starter, which is no surprise. After him you have the trio of J.J. Barea, Devin Harris, and Yogi Ferrell. Barea and Harris have already made their roles as veteran backups clear, but Yogi has yet to find his spot on the roster for sure.

Earlier in the year, Coach Carlisle was on record saying that Yogi is a great point guard but is not starting caliber in the NBA. This came as a bit of a surprise considering how well he played for the Mavs in a starting role last season. Although his contribution to the team last season was important, Carlisle is correct that Yogi does not quite have the skill set needed to be a starting point guard in the NBA.

The problem is, Dennis Smith Jr. is capable of being a starter in this league. Behind a young starter, however, you want a veteran who can help pave the way and make the transition from college to NBA. That role will fall to either Harris or Barea. It is also good to have a veteran who has been in the system for awhile running the 2nd unit. All of these things would tend to vote against the likelihood that Ferrell has a spot in the Mavs rotation.

It is hard to say what will actually happen, but I think Coach Carlisle wants the energy that Yogi brings to the court. For that reason, i expect him and Barea to split backup PG minutes while Harris plays more predominantly at the shooting guard spot. This means that Ferrell will still get some minutes with the Mavs, although his time in Dallas may be shortened.

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It is hard to say exactly how Yogi is going to fit in for the future of Dallas, but for now, I expect to see him playing in just about every game for at least some amount of time. Yogi is still a Maverick and Dallas can just appreciate the playing time we do get to see him in.