Mavericks' Seth Lundy signing creates roster battle that wasn't there before

When the Dallas Mavericks' training camp roster signing was announced on Friday, many fans were initially confused. Rather than having 21 players under contract, the maximum the NBA allows, Dallas only had 19. The Mavericks had their expected 15 players on the 15-man roster, three two-way players, and Dwight Powell. They were leaving out a perfect opportunity to evaluate at least two more players and let them fight for a roster spot, but that changed on Saturday.

Dallas signs Seth Lundy ahead of training camp

The Mavericks signed Seth Lundy ahead of their first official practice on Saturday. Lundy will now have a chance to fight for a roster spot ahead of the regular season beginning on October 21, and his best chance to get on the team will likely be via a two-way contract.

Lundy's addition creates a battle among the two-way guys

Two-way deals are not fully guaranteed, and teams can get out of them at any time. There is often movement with these deals, as seen when the Mavericks waived Miles Kelly last season and Tyler Smith earlier this summer, and we could see a similar situation unfold with one of Dallas' current two-way guys if Lundy outplays them.

While it seems unlikely that John Poulakidas, Jett Howard, or Tobi Lawal will be waived, it's definitely not impossible if Lundy has a strong preseason and training camp. The 6-foot-4 wing averaged 20.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 52 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from downtown during Summer League for the Toronto Raptors, and he'll be looking to build upon this momentum in Dallas.

Lundy is known as a knockdown shooter who can defend well on the perimeter, and he is a decent passer for a wing as well. He thrives as a shooter off the catch and remains unfazed when defenders are closing out on him. The former Penn State Nittany Lion can also attack closeouts and finishes decently well around the basket when he touches the paint.

The Mavericks obviously need more 3-point shooting after shooting 34.4 percent from three last season (26th in the NBA), and Lundy could help fill that void.

Who could get waived for Lundy?

When looking at Dallas' three two-way players, the most vulnerable players seem to be Poulakidas and Howard (if anyone). The Mavericks just drafted Lawal in the second round earlier this summer, and his skill set is far different than Howard and Poulakidas.

With Poulakidas and Howard being known for their shooting, they could find themselves in a three-way battle for a roster spot with Lundy, in which only two players survive. Two-way spots are fluid, and no one should assume their spot on the team is fully safe.

Even if Lundy doesn't make the team, Dallas adding one more player before training camp is the best decision that they could've made. It's a low-risk move that creates more competition during the preseason, and if Lundy exceeds expectations, he could even secure a roster spot.

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