Mavericks are speeding into an unavoidable do-or-die point guard showdown

Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard have both made cases to be on the Dallas Mavericks beyond this season, as both players crawled their way from two-way contracts into standard deals, but the Mavericks will likely only be able to manage to keep one of them after this offseason.

Williams has proven to be one of the best rim attackers from the point guard position in the league, while Nembhard is poised beyond his years as a table-setter. However, with a fully healthy Kyrie Irving entering next season, Dallas probably only needs one of Williams or Nembhard as a backup point guard. Especially since Williams is entering unrestricted free agency and has played his value up drastically over the last season.

Dallas can either exercise or decline Nembhard's $2.1 million team option this summer, and while the choice to keep Nembhard may seem easier from a financial and chemistry perspective, it's debatable whether he's a better fit compared to Williams, especially given his shaky play over the last month or so. Nembhard has developed great chemistry with fellow rookie Cooper Flagg, but Nembhard's playmaking will be slightly more redundant with Irving back in the lineup next season.

Williams vs. Nembhard headlines Mavericks' tough offseason choice

Williams will probably never be able to set others up to the same degree Nembhard can, but he's a peskier defender, and can be a microwave scorer off the bench when he's getting to the rim and knocking down tough looks in the mid-range. Who knows what Williams' market value will be this offseason, but he's definitely no longer a minimum player, and Dallas may have to decline Nembhard's team option if they wish to re-sign Williams.

Williams also mimics Irving's style in terms of his ability to break down the defense and get to the rim, so perhaps Dallas would want a different look by having more of a pass-first point guard such as Nembhard being Irving's backup next season. However, Williams still isn't a bad playmaker by any means, and it wouldn't be surprising if he goes elsewhere and thrives, so the Mavericks will inevitably have a tough decision to make this summer.

The Mavericks have to keep establishing some semblance of continuity following the Luka Doncic trade, so, idealistically, keeping both homegrown two-way contract products would be the best-case scenario this offseason. Ultimately, it will come down to how much money Williams commands on the market, as well as if Dallas' front office thinks it's worthwhile to bring two smaller guards back.

The draft will affect Dallas' point guard decision

Whoever Dallas drafts in the first round of the upcoming NBA Draft could also have implications on this decision, as they could be in the range to snag a talented guard such as Keaton Wagler or Darius Acuff Jr., which could make parting ways with one of Nembhard or Williams far easier. For instance, adding an electric scorer like Acuff Jr. would probably make Williams completely redundant on the roster, while a more playmaking guard like Wagler may make Nembhard more expendable instead.

Overall, Nembhard is younger than Williams by three years and has budding chemistry with Dallas' centerpiece of the future in Flagg, plus he'd be more cost-controlled heading into next season, but Williams' development can't be discounted. Williams could be one of the best guards off the bench in the league if he can get his shot from distance to fall at a higher clip next season, and it feels like he's just entering his prime, so Dallas can't forget to weigh that in their decision-making this offseason.

The last 13 games of the season could definitely weigh on the front office's mind in terms of who performs better down the stretch and should be prioritized for the long-term, but there's no doubt that it looks challenging on paper to find a way to keep both guards heading into next season.