Mavericks' hyped roster battle has a clear rookie winner they can't afford to lose

Last month, the Dallas Mavericks finally converted Ryan Nembhard's two-way contract to a standard deal. This move, along with cutting Miles Kelly, allowed them to sign two more players to two-way deals, and they decided to roll with John Poulakidas and Tyler Smith.

Jason Kidd said they'd get a good chance to get some playing time at the end of the season, and their battle to win over fans' hearts is here. There are only three games left in the regular season, and with Dallas needing to prioritize lottery positioning, both players should get the chance to show their worth to the coaching staff.

The battle between Smith and Poulakidas

Mavericks fans were excited to watch two new players for the final quarter of the season, and most people were split about who they believed had the most long-term upside. Smith is a rangy 6-foot-9 wing who brings versatility, shooting, and athleticism. On the other hand, Poulakidas is the definition of a 3-point assassin, as the 6-foot-6 guard drained 243 threes during his four-year career at Yale.

Just over a month later, it's clear that Dallas should explore re-signing Poulakidas to another two-way contract this summer, as he has the 3-point shooting they desperately need. While he's shooting 37.3 percent from three on 4.6 attempts per game as a Maverick, his G League stats show exactly why he deserves another chance in Dallas after this season.

The rookie sharpshooter averaged 14.5 points per game while shooting 46.1 percent from long range on 8.6 attempts per game for the Texas Legends and San Diego Clippers, and this is enough of a reason to believe in his upside. The G League's playstyle obviously relies more upon 3-point shooting than the NBA, but his confidence, range, and volume have proven that he has what it takes to be a role player somewhere.

Dallas just happens to be one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA, and this problem can't persist next season. Kyrie Irving's return will naturally help them get back on track, but they need to add as much shooting around him and Cooper Flagg as possible. Giving Poulakidas another contract ensures that they don't give up on him too early, while simultaneously making an effort to fix their shooting.

This would be a low-risk move to fix Dallas' 3-point shooting

Two-way contracts are the best low-risk ways to evaluate talent, and the Mavs happen to have an excellent track record on turning these players into rotational guys. Both Brandon Williams and Nembhard have gone from two-way contracts to standard deals over the last two seasons, and seeing Poulakidas could follow the same trajectory if he has a strong offseason.

Bringing him to Summer League seems like a natural first step, and if he thrives there, a training camp invite or two-way contract is the least they can do. Giving Smith a similar chance would also be beneficial, as you can never have too many 3-and-D guys, and he's shown some promise in Dallas as well.

Regardless, though, if it comes down to the Mavericks only keeping one of Smith or Poulakidas, it makes the most sense to re-sign the latter of the two.

He just finished with a career-high 23 points while shooting 8-12 from the field and 5-8 from downtown against the Phoenix Suns, showing that he can be relied upon when given an expanded role.

Former Ivy League personnel who spoke with anonymity to The Smoking Cuban compared him to both Luke Kennard and Sam Hauser when asked for pro comparisons, and if he can turn into either of these players, Dallas will have struck gold.