Mavericks' gut-wrenching injury immediately throws rookie into the fire

Heading into this season, the Dallas Mavericks knew they'd need all the guard help they could get with Kyrie Irving slated to miss an extended amount of time this season, rehabbing from a torn ACL. However, in what was recently revealed as a knee issue, guard Dante Exum has missed all of Dallas' training camp and preseason up to this point.

Head coach Jason Kidd didn't reveal a clear timetable for Exum's return in his pregame media availability ahead of Dallas' preseason loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. Exum's continual injury concerns could spur bigger questions in regard to his place on Dallas' roster as the season continues, but it undoubtedly puts the spotlight on the back-half of Dallas' guard rotation to step up in his absence, and rookie guard Ryan Nembhard could be a prime candidate to fulfill this duty.

Nembhard was probably the second most impressive Maverick at Summer League behind Cooper Flagg this past July, as he's a nifty shot creator and playmaker with a pretty deep ball handling repertoire, even though he's only 6-feet tall. Nembhard led all of NCAA Division I college basketball in assists last season at 9.8 per game for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, so it's clear he can manipulate defenders well in the pick-and-roll and has great cross-court vision.

Exum's knee issues could force Ryan Nembhard into Dallas' rotation early

Through two preseason games with the main squad, Nembhard has looked polished, though he hasn't gotten a true extended run, which he'll certainly need in one of Dallas' final two preseason games if Kidd has any plans of implementing him in the rotation early on. Once Brandon Williams returns from injury, it seems likely he'll remain ahead of Nembhard in the rotation, barring Nembhard vastly outperforming expectations early on.

However, someone like Jaden Hardy could definitely be a viable candidate for Nembhard to supplant in Dallas' rotation, as Nembhard prototypes as a much more efficient shot creator and playmaker compared to Hardy, that is, if his lack of size isn't a huge deterrent at the NBA level early on.

With Exum seeming like he won't be ready for the start of the regular season, there could be some minutes to go around for Nembhard as is, but he'd have to prove his worth over someone like Hardy to establish a real, consistent role with Dallas.

With it being as early as it is in the NBA calendar, there's definitely a pathway for Nembhard to accomplish this, especially if he competes hard defensively, as Exum's indefinite absence is creating an opportunity for Nembhard that probably wouldn't have been there in the first place. Nembhard is probably slated as Dallas' last true guard in their rotation, but he could quickly elevate to a second or third-string position depending on just how efficient he can be at the NBA level.

It should be noted that Nembhard is on a two-way deal, meaning he could only play up to 50 regular-season games for the Mavericks unless his contract is amended at some point down the line this season, but it's undeniable that he could be a hidden gem on this roster. Nembhard may not bring the same skillset or defensive versatility as Exum, but he could be more valuable for this Mavericks' squad, given Exum's inability to stay healthy.