Dallas Mavericks: Ray Spalding continues to shine in the G-League

Dallas Mavericks rookie Ray Spalding continues to put up monster stat lines while playing for the Texas Legends in the G-League.

The Dallas Mavericks drafted Ray Spalding in the late second round. Most experts thought Spalding was destined for a two-way contract, but that was not the case. He signed a four-year deal with the Mavericks. The contract was team-friendly and includes non-guarantee dates for each of the next three seasons.

Spalding has only played in one game with the Mavs, though. He saw one minute of action in the season opener against the Suns. Phoenix had the game in hand when Spalding entered the contest in the final moments. He is firmly behind Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber in the team’s bench big man pecking order. Minutes will only get harder to come by when Dirk Nowitzki returns in the coming weeks.

To continue is development by playing in games, the Mavericks assigned Ray Spalding to the Texas Legends in the G-League when their season began. Let us take a look at how he is playing so far.

Spalding dominating

Ray Spalding has been arguably the Legends best all-around player this season. He played in the team’s first five games. Then, Spalding missed three straight contests with an injury before returning in their last time out. He has started five of the six games as well.

Spalding is averaging 28.4 minutes and producing 16.0 points, a team-leading 7.8 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.7 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game. He is shooting 47.6 percent from the field, 25.0 percent on 3-pointers, and 66.7 percent on his free throws in the small sample size.

Here is a highlight package from Spalding’s game against the Maine Red Claws on Nov. 24 courtesy of the Legends official Twitter. Remember, he played a season low 19.5 minutes because he was returning after missing ten days of action.

Expect Spalding to continue to dominate in the G-League, but the opportunity with the Mavericks is likely still a season or so away. He is only 21 years old, and the strong frontcourt will keep in Frisco this year. That does not mean Spalding does not have a bright NBA future, though. Keep an eye on his production all season.

Final thoughts

Dallas Mavericks rookie Ray Spalding is having quite a season for the Texas Legends. The Legends have a talented squad that figures to push for the playoffs. Spalding is a massive part of their success and should only improve as the year progresses.

The Smoking Cuban will continue to provide updates on Spalding’s impact with the Legends, so fans should continue to check back with the site.