Mavericks' quiet trade rumor is blocking a sneaky signing

With just weeks away from the NBA's February 5 trade deadline date, the Dallas Mavericks have been in constant rumors when it comes to names like Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis. While there has been plenty of attention on some bigger names, such as Davis, a long-awaited Mavericks move may quietly be made in the dark: trading Dante Exum and signing Ryan Nembhard to a standard contract.

The Mavericks have held off on waiving Exum due to the possibility that they trade him, and this is likely one of the main reasons that Nembhard's two-way still hasn't been converted.

Before the regular season even tipped off, it was announced that Exum would miss the entire season with a recurring knee injury, which instantly made him a contender to be waived. While waiving Exum would be easier said than done, making him a shoo-in for a bigger trade sounds like a more realistic option that they should explore.

Trading Exum would be the best news for Ryan Nembhard fans

Opening a roster spot at the expense of Exum's role could only mean one thing: the signing of Nembhard. By no means would this be a move that creates headlines or even surprises fans, but Nembhard has long been deserving of Exum's spot on the bench and would quickly become one of Dallas' most important players, both on the court and from a future roster-building perspective.

Since joining the Mavericks, Exum has carved out a role as a sneaky floor spacer who offers defensive depth at the point of attack and someone who brings tertiary ball handling when needed. With Dallas' current needs, they are desperate for ball handling and a player who can orchestrate the offense, and even with a healthy Exum, Nembhard still offers more value and checks more boxes long-term.

It would be a move that doesn't require much thinking for the Mavericks; it would just be a question of which team would be willing to bring on Exum's $3.3 million expiring contract. Trading him would be a much easier option, as this would save money and naturally create an open roster spot for Nembhard if the Mavericks trade more players than they bring back.

For Exum, it's still unclear if he could be fit to play at an NBA level after returning from injury at some point after this season, but if he does, he could give a team solid shooting and defensive depth off the bench.

With Nembhard quickly making an impression that he is way more valuable than the two-way contract he is currently on, the Mavericks need to find any way possible to create an open roster spot. With Exum likely not re-signing with the Mavericks next season, he is the player every fan is pointing their finger at to be traded or waived to create a spot for Nembhard before the 50 games for his two-way contract expire.

The Mavericks will have a slew of roster moves to make over the next few weeks to ensure that losing games and focusing on next year's draft will be at the top of the team's to-do list, and that also includes converting Nembhard's two-way contract into a standard NBA deal. Injuries are an unfortunate reality in pro sports, and it would be a sad way for Exum to end his Mavericks tenure, but Nembhard has been a clear runaway candidate for an open roster spot.