Mavericks sign Marquese Chriss to third 10-day deal: Important decision ahead

The Dallas Mavericks signed Marquese Chriss to a ten-day hardship deal back on Dec. 21. They were going through a COVID outbreak and needed someone that could immediately step into the rotation, but nobody expected Chriss to be this good.

The Mavs have slowly seen their players return from the health and safety protocols, but they kept Chriss on a second ten-day deal. The 6’9 big man has stayed in the rotation and continues to make an impact. Through ten games, Chriss is averaging 6.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game. The Mavericks had a decision to make on Monday as his latest ten-day deal ran out.

They decided to sign Marquese Chriss to a third ten-day on Jan. 10, according to Marc Stein, but the team still faces an important decision. Here is a closer look at why the Mavs need to keep Chriss on their roster and their options in doing so.

Mavericks sign Marquese Chriss to third 10-day deal

In a normal year, teams are only allowed to sign a player to two ten-day deals, but hardship exemptions allow the Mavs Chriss to a third. Kristaps Porzingis is the only Maverick left in the health and safety protocols, and he should be nearing a return. When the Unicorn exits, the Mavericks will need to make a decision on what to do with Chriss long-term.

Stein reported Dallas is exploring solutions to keep Chriss for the remainder of the season. They have multiple avenues for keeping him around, but they will need to let someone go to make that a reality. Willie Cauley-Stein is the most likely option as he is on an expiring contract.

Chriss gives Dallas a versatile big man that can defend multiple positions and stands out a roll man. The 24-year-old rebounds well and competes hard on both ends of the floor.

The Dallas Mavericks have an important roster decision to make in the coming days. Keep it locked to The Smoking Cuban for all the latest on Marquese Chriss and Kristaps Porzingis in the days ahead, plus everything Mavs fans crave on the team.