Mavericks already have a Ryan Nembhard problem on their hands

Ryan Nembhard has become a real problem for the Dallas Mavericks' front office and coaching staff, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Dallas never expected him to outplay his two-way contract so quickly, yet here we are.

The Mavericks thought the splashy signing of D’Angelo Russell in the offseason would help to fill the void until Kyrie Irving recovered from his ACL injury. But Russell’s trademark erratic play opened the door for Nembhard, and the 5-foot-11 floor general has made the most of his opportunity and then some.

But the real question is…what do the Mavericks do when Irving is ready to come back? The Mavericks have already committed to converting Nembhard’s two-way contract to a standard NBA contract so he doesn’t exceed the 50-game limit on his current deal. The Mavs clearly believe in him, and the numbers support that. Nembhard has led Dallas to a respectable 6-4 record over the last 10 games, with two of those losses going into overtime.

Nembhard is the real deal. But Irving's looming return changes things.

Nembhard’s on-ball brilliance has unleashed Cooper Flagg and steadied Anthony Davis. Coach Jason Kidd is now tasked with the good problem of keeping Nembhard mentally connected while ushering Irving back into the fold.

Irving gives the Mavericks a different identity on the offensive end. He’s a dynamic scorer and clutch as they come. But they may need Irving to emulate Nembhard’s pass-first blueprint a little bit more than he's used to. Does Irving come back as a starter immediately? Or will they ease him in slowly off the bench?

All of this affects Nembhard and how he has to approach the game. Irving’s return means that the leftover point guard minutes will be divvied up between him and Brandon Williams.

This gives Coach Kidd the luxury of bringing Nembhard or Williams into the game as a change of pace, depending on how the game is going. The trio of Irving, Nembhard, and Williams range from 5-foot-11 to 6-foot-2 in height, and Kidd will probably be reluctant to play either of them together in the backcourt for long stretches for defensive purposes. This means Nembhard may have to adjust to a more limited role in a hurry.

Irving’s status in the NBA’s pantheon of players is cemented at this point. His career trajectory is etched in stone. However, a young player like Nembhard is chomping at the bit to get as much game action as possible and carve out his own reputation. It’s a precarious position to be in.

Rookies need to be able to play freely and be allowed to make a few mistakes on the court so they can learn the ropes. Yet Irving’s return ups the ante on the Mavericks' “we’re playing to win now” mantra. The stakes are higher with less room for error. And it also means that Nembhard could find himself persona non grata at the end of games, especially in crunch time.

This is a tough pill to swallow for the young maestro. But Coach Kidd knows this all too well because he had a young point guard by the name of Steve Nash who backed him up for 2 seasons as a player in Phoenix. Nash took his apprenticeship seriously and parlayed those invaluable lessons into later becoming an All-Star in Dallas. The Mavs would likely love for Nembhard to take the same approach. Problem solved.