Mavericks have a sneaky roster battle that no one is talking about

While Dereck Lively II versus Daniel Gafford inside, Max Christie versus Zaccharie Risacher on the wing, and Marcus Sasser versus Sergio De Larrea for the backup point guard spot are the most talked-about positional battles for the Dallas Mavericks ahead of next season, there's a different battle that fans should keep an eye on that no one is talking about.

Jett Howard and John Poulakidas will be battling for minutes

Jett Howard and John Poulakidas are on two-way contracts, and with both players being known for their shooting, there's a chance that only one of them survives the entire season in Dallas. The Mavericks need more point guard depth behind Kyrie Irving, and with them already overloaded on the wing, Poulakidas or Howard could eventually be waived to create a roster spot to balance the team.

It's rare for the three Mavericks players who started the year on two-way deals to finish the year on the same contract while remaining in Dallas, and we could very well see the team shake things up if they aren't getting the results they want. With Tobi Lawal being drafted by the Mavs in the second round earlier this summer, it leaves Poulakidas and Howard as Dallas' most expendable two-way players.

On top of the possibility that Howard or Poulakidas could get cut, there won't be room for both of them to be rotation pieces under Dusty May. Two-way players are limited to being active for 50 games, meaning neither player will be able to play every game anyway, and one of Howard or Poulakidas will naturally earn May's trust while the other will likely be at the end of the bench.

Why there isn't room for both Poulakidas and Howard in the rotation

Both of them have similar skill sets, as a majority of their production comes from their success as a shooter, and whoever shoots the ball better early on will likely have the upper hand in the rotation. While the main draw about Howard's game has always been his shooting, he also has a solid in-between game that the Mavericks should explore.

His mid-range jumper is smooth and he isn't a bad finisher around the basket as well.

On the other hand, Poulakidas' game has mostly been limited to his shooting. He shot over 40 percent from three as a rookie while Howard shot a career-high 37.2 percent from long range last season.

If Howard can maintain this efficiency from beyond the arc, he could find himself ahead of Poulakidas in the rotation. Last season was Howard's best-shooting year by far, as he shot just 29.4 percent from three through his first two seasons in the league.

If Howard's shooting numbers dip back down, Poulakidas could be the clear choice for the Mavericks to work hard at developing. Dallas' new front office clearly believes in him, as they wouldn't have kept him if they didn't, and he's in a great spot to become a key piece of Dallas' young core.

The Mavericks' history of helping two-way players earn standard contracts should give both of these players confidence that they can have a breakout season, and the battle for minutes between Poulakidas and Howard could determine which of these players earns another contract and who ends up as a free agent after the season.

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