Dallas Mavericks: Ray Spalding working hard to expand his game

Dallas Mavericks rookie Ray Spalding is working out with trainer D.J. Almonds to expand his on-court game and get ready for the season.

The Dallas Mavericks drafted Ray Spalding with the 56th overall pick in the 2018 draft.  Most fans assumed he was destined for a two-way contract, but Spalding earned one of the 15 spots on the Mavs regular roster.  He signed a four-year deal that has the first two seasons fully guaranteed.

Spalding played well in summer league, but the numbers are not eye-popping.  He averaged 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 1.0 steal, 0.4 3-pointers made, and 0.6 blocks in 17.1 minutes per game over the five contests in Vegas.

Spalding is an older rookie at age 22 after playing three years at Louisville.  He played limited minutes in the first two seasons before breaking out as a junior.  Spalding is a high energy player and a hard worker.

Continuing to improve

Ray Spalding is dedicated to getting better and expanding his on-court skill.  He has hired trainer D.J. Almonds and videos are surfacing online of the two working out together.  In the video here, Spalding is working on his 3-point shot and footwork.  A second video found here, shows him working on his bounce and dunking ability.

Spalding may not see a ton of playing time with the Mavs this season, but he is going to work hard every day to improve his game.  Expect the organization to fall in love quickly with his work ethic and desire to be the best Ray Spalding possible.

Adding a consistent 3-point shot could do wonders for Spalding’s NBA career.  A 6’10 stretch four/five is a must have for a contender in this era, and he could fill that role nicely with some improvements from downtown.

Final thoughts

Dallas Mavericks rookie big man Ray Spalding is working out with trainer D.J. Almonds in an effort to improve and be ready for his the upcoming season.

Spalding is in a battle for playing time in his first year.  The Mavs have a plethora of frontcourt options this season.  Spalding will have to beat out the likes of Salah Mejri and Maxi Kleber to see consistent rotation minutes.  That is a difficult task for a developing rookie.

Regardless, expect him to play significant minutes with the Texas Legends in the G-League at some point this season.

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