Why Kemba Walker does not need to be the savior for Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks have lost four straight games and five of their last six to fall to 9-10 on the season. Their rough stretch coupled with the team’s need for a third playmaker lead to the Mavs signing Kemba Walker. The four-time All-Star has struggled to stay healthy in recent years and his production has fallen off.

The Mavs are looking for a playmaking boost, but they do not view Walker as a savior. He is not going to play at an All-Star level. Dallas needs him to fill backup minutes and make plays. He averaged 11.6 points and 3.5 assists in 25.6 minutes per game last season for the Knicks, and the Mavs would be ecstatic about that production.

Dallas has hit a rough patch, but they do not need Kemba Walker to be their savior. The team just needs to play better moving forward, and here are three reasons why they will.

Why Kemba Walker doesn’t need to be Dallas Mavericks savior: 3. Poor shooting

The Mavs have been plagued by poor shooting, especially on open shots to begin the season. They take the fifth-most wide-open 3-point attempts in the league so far this season, but they are just 17th in percentage. On open threes, the Mavericks are second in attempts and 24th in percentage.

The Athletic’s Tim Cato made a compelling case (subscription required) that the Mavs do not have a 3-point shooter problem, but one from inside the arc. Dallas has multiple players shooting poorly from long range, including Luka Doncic. They are reliant on catch-and-shoot players, and those players need to make more shots to be effective.

The Mavs also need to trade for someone that creates their own shots and gets to the rim. Kemba Walker could be that option, but fans should not expect too much. Dallas should be focused on exploring the trade market to find another ball-handling upgrade.