Mavericks' Sergio De Larrea injury update makes backcourt concerns more glaring

The Dallas Mavericks improved to 6-4 after Sunday night's blowout win over the Brooklyn Nets, but their shortage of depth behind Kyrie Irving in the backcourt can't be ignored. This has been a major talking point since before the regular season began, as Dallas spent most of the offseason with just Sergio De Larrea and Marcus Sasser as the backup point guards.

Sergio De Larrea has already missed six games in a row

The team later signed Walter Clayton Jr. on opening night, and he has helped stabilize the rotation as a true point guard.

However, the Mavericks still need more production from their backcourt — especially since Kyrie won't play every game. De Larrea showed serious promise in the first game that Irving missed this season against the San Antonio Spurs on October 24, but he hasn't played much since. He suffered what the team ruled a "right knee strain" against the Miami Heat on October 28.

Since then, the Mavericks have changed the official diagnosis of his injury to a "right knee sprain." He has missed the last six games with this injury, and De Larrea's return to the hardwood doesn't seem close after hearing Dusty May's update before Dallas' game against Brooklyn.

Dusty May's update makes De Larrea's injury more concerning

May was asked about De Larrea's status, and he said that he would be re-evaluated next week. Last week, May said that De Larrea would be re-evaluated this week. While vague updates from May (and most NBA head coaches) are fairly normal, the fact that De Larrea's re-evaluation date isn't until next week is concerning.

He injured his knee exactly two weeks ago, and with his re-evaluation not until next week, it doesn't seem like he is returning in the immediate future. May said he has been working out in the weight room and looks strong, but also stated that he is in a brace.

Why the Mavericks need De Larrea back

De Larrea returning soon would be a valuable reinforcement to give May some insurance behind Irving, as he has already proven that he can produce when called upon. Sergio finished with 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists in his third career game against the Spurs, and his floater and 3-point shooting looked excellent in that game. He's comfortable shooting off the catch or dribble, and his playmaking is outstanding as well.

He can play on and off the ball, has elite size for a guard at 6-foot-6, and is a great lob thrower. The Mavs need all of these things, and he gives May much more lineup versatility when he's healthy.

If De Larrea's return were near, May would be able to deploy Clayton, De Larrea, and Naji Marshall as his backup guards. Clayton has grabbed this opportunity by the horns, with him consistently being one of the first players off the bench, and Naji has been playing better. He could also utilize Marcus Sasser in certain situations when they need additional shooting or shot creation, but he has fallen out of the rotation.

This group isn't the flashiest or most talented, but Clayton's emergence, combined with Marshall's versatility, gives May a better backup point guard rotation than expected. Sergio's return would make this group even more dangerous, but with him still not getting re-evaluated, Dallas will have to make their current group work.

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