Dallas Mavericks: Josh Richardson leaves Dallas with a dilemma

The Dallas Mavericks have a decision to make this offseason regarding Josh Richardson.

They acquired him and a second-round pick for Seth Curry on draft night 2020. The Mavericks believed they had secured a two-way guard that could bring much-needed defensive security. Dallas lost a plethora of games in 2019-20 by five points or less and had a reputation for being unable to close out close games. It was a painful goodbye for a lot of fans, but the general feeling was one of excitement to bring in a valuable rotation guy like Richardson.

Richardson has since become a polarizing figure on the Mavericks roster, to say the least. He’s had a rollercoaster season, where he missed over three weeks of action in the health and safety protocols. Dallas is second in the league (only to the Celtics) in total games missed by players due to COVID-19 protocol.

Why Josh Richardson leaves the Dallas Mavericks with a dilemma

JRich has seen regression in both his numbers and on-court energy this season. Will he pick it up down the stretch? What is his present and future with the Mavs?

The things that he adds and takes away from the team have created a key offseason decision for both himself and the Mavericks. They sent away one of the most efficient 3-point shooters in NBA history to acquire him. As Richardson’s player option kicks in this summer, he can choose to opt-in for guaranteed money that won’t hurt the Mavericks’ cap space too severely, but should he?

Next: Looking back at the trade