Mavericks waiving promising young wing shows where their real priority lies

After the trade deadline last season, the Dallas Mavericks had an open roster spot following the flurry of moves that morphed them into NBA Finals contenders. Dallas acquired fewer players than they sent out, so they were able to go on the buyout market to search for someone who could help them down the stretch.

The Mavs showed interest in Spencer Dinwiddie, and after he decided to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas decided to pivot and convert A.J. Lawson's two-way contract to a standard deal.

After this move, Dallas signed Alex Fudge to fill their open roster spot. Fudge was previously playing for the Lakers, and he remained on the Mavericks roster for the remainder of the year.

Mavericks should add another wing or big man after waiving Alex Fudge

Fudge only appeared in two games for Dallas, and according to Mavs PR, the Mavs have waived him while signing Kessler Edwards to a two-way deal. Fudge was expected as someone who could return to the Mavs due to his 3-and-D capabilities, but his performance at Summer League didn't seem to impress the Mavs coaching staff.

With Fudge officially gone, the Mavs have one open two-way spot even after signing Kessler Edwards, and this shows where their real priority should lie.

Since Brandon Williams is already signed to a two-way deal, the Mavs should pursue another wing with size or a big with this final two-way spot. Dallas doesn't need any more guard depth, and they should focus on wing depth with their final spot.

Their real priority lies in wings who can knock down open shots and defend, and although Fudge had the tools to be a good defender, the jumper never came around.

Dallas will now have to find someone to fill the final open two-way spot, and a wing or big makes the most sense. Jamarion Sharp is also a real candidate to snag this two-way spot if he balls out during training camp, and the Mavs already locked him up for training camp.

With the way the Mavs' roster is constructed, it's clear they shouldn't pursue any more guard depth via their final two-way spot. There aren't many avenues to that player getting real playing time, and signing project wings or a big man with potential seems like a better move.

There are plenty of different players that Dallas can consider with this spot, and Fudge officially being gone shows why the Mavs should sign another wing or a big man to provide depth in the frontcourt. Dallas has an elite center rotation of Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, but one more big could be the perfect move to make the Mavs even more powerful.