Mavericks shake up race for final roster spot by signing risky 7-foot-5 center

Things just got much more interesting for the Dallas Mavericks ahead of training camp, which begins at the end of this month, as they signed Jamarion Sharp to an Exhibit 10 contract earlier this week. There had been rumbles of Sharp returning to Dallas for some time, as he was on the team's last two Summer League teams and was on the Mavs' training camp roster last season, and the race to secure the final roster spot on Jason Kidd's squad is going to be one of the top stories of the preseason.

Dallas oftentimes keeps a two-way spot open heading into training camp and preseason, as Kidd and Nico Harrison seem to like it when players get to battle it out to prove that they belong in the NBA rather than locking down all three two-way spots before seeing anyone play, and there are now a couple of clear candidates who could find themselves on the Mavericks by the time that opening night rolls around.

With Sharp joining the mix, the Mavs now have 20 players ahead of training camp, and it seems likely that they'll roll with this group and see what they can do. Outside of Sharp, other E-10 players include Matthew Cleveland and Moussa Cisse, and one of these three players will likely end up joining Ryan Nembhard and Miles Kelly as the team's third two-way player.

Mavericks now have three candidates for open roster spot

Ever since Summer League ended in July, it has seemed likely that Sharp could be the one to battle Cisse for the third final two-way spot, and with Kelly being a wing and Nembhard being a guard, it would make sense for Harrison to sign a center to be the third player under a two-way deal. Dallas' frontcourt is notorious for not being able to stay healthy, as Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II have struggled heavily with injuries in the past, and signing a big man to provide some emergency depth behind them wouldn't be an awful idea.

Neither Sharp nor Cisse stole the show in Las Vegas, as Sharp was the starter but occasionally got outplayed by Cisse, and Kidd and Harrison could have a tough choice to make if they decide to go all in on bringing back a big man.

Sharp provides better size and rim protection than Cisse, as Sharp is 7-foot-5 with a 7-foot-9 wingspan, while Cisse is 6-foot-11, and there will undoubtedly be pros and cons to whoever the Mavs decide to roll with (if they indeed sign one of them over a different option, such as Cleveland). Sharp's upside may seem higher thanks to his unreal height and length, but his struggles to put on size and muscle over the last year or so are concerning.

With Cisse, he nearly weighs the same as Sharp despite being six inches shorter than him, and he might have a slight edge in his ability to run the floor. Cisse also seems to bring more energy, and he may be the better long-term project considering that his frame has already begun to fill out nicely.

Regardless of whether Dallas signs Cisse or Sharp, both players would only be used in an emergency situation, and quite frankly, Kidd and Harrison might not keep either one of them. Cleveland could beat out both of them, as his size and shooting on the wing may be enough to convince the Mavericks to keep him around.

Cleveland showed some promise at Summer League when he finished with 17 points while shooting 6-11 from the field against the Orlando Magic, and the Mavs may end up having a fourth rookie join Nembhard, Cooper Flagg, and Kelly on the roster.

Sharp being signed to an E-10 shows that the Mavs like him enough to keep him around, and this year could finally be the year that he makes his first NBA regular-season roster.