Mavericks' next roster move becomes a no-brainer after injury bug strikes again

It's no secret the Dallas Mavericks have struggled since the turn of the near year. Due to a combination of injuries to stars and role players, the team has become a shell of its former self and undoubtedly suffered more major setbacks over the last week.

Last week, the Mavericks were dealt yet another bad hand as Dereck Lively II went down with a major foot injury and could a large portion of the remainder of the regular season. To make matters worse, one of the team's biggest coveted trade pieces, Maxi Kleber, suffered a broken foot in Saturday's matinee loss to the Boston Celtics.

While there has been plenty of optimism from the Mavs over the last week regarding playing well on the floor, Lively II and Kleber's injuries have gutted any shot at the Mavericks being fully healthy for the foreseeable future. Lively II was critical to Dallas' depth at the five while Kleber played a pivotal role off the bench despite having a down year.

With less than two weeks before the trade deadline, it's clear the Mavericks must make a roster move and unfortunately, it may mean cutting a fan-favorite guard off the bench.

Mavericks' next roster change is painfully obvious after Kleber's injury

While the sky may seem like it's been falling on the Mavericks and their fans, it pays off to have a deep roster and this is exactly what Nico Harrison and the front office have prepared themselves for. The team's injuries over the last two months have given them a chance to play some names that might not get the most playing time in a given season.

With this in mind, Olivier-Maxence Prosper could be a standout Kleber replacement but with the team's need for a center, they may have to make an unfavorable move to the roster that most fans don't want to see.

Jazian Gortman has become the standalone two-way player who has seen significantly less time on the floor compared to Brandon Williams and Kessler Edwards. With the Mavs' recent need for wing depth, Edwards becomes virtually uncuttable and Williams has played at an all-time high after receiving a bigger role over the last week.

With Gortman being the clear candidate to get cut, the next question in fans' eyes is who do the Mavericks sign on a two-way deal, and the answer is clear.

Jamarion Sharp has been an intriguing player since entering the league last summer and now may be the perfect opportunity for the Mavericks to give him a shot. The 7-foot-5 product out of Ole Miss not only offers an elite shot-blocking ability, but since playing for the Texas Legends, his inside post game has become a respectable weapon as well.

While Sharp was an intriguing player after not getting drafted due to his shot-blocking abilities, the question marks rose after Sharp's offensive bag looked underwhelming in the preseason. This could still be a true statement but the Mavericks have zero time to weigh the pros and cons of a player after recent injuries have plagued the team's chances of having any shot at looking decent with Doncic still sidelined.

Sharp would not only add size at the five, but with his length and incredible wingspan, he could become a formidable lob threat with Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie dishing him the rock. Sharp's length is not only needed at this time for Dallas but it could be the perfect opportunity to make a small shakeup without costing themselves the price of giving up an asset in a trade.

Sharp may not be the pro-ready five to make the Mavericks contenders, but he could buy the team enough time while looking for a formidable reserve piece in the future.