Mavericks Down To Eight Healthy Players; Two-Way Games Dwindling

[RealGM Wiretap]

The Dallas Mavericks are facing historic absences due to injuries. Dante Exum suffered a broken bone in his left hand on Friday night, becoming the latest Mav with a long-term injury. That leaves Dallas with just eight healthy players.

Making matters even more complicated for the Mavs is that two of their healthy players are two-way players Kessler Edwards and Brandon Williams. Edwards has only three NBA games of eligibility left, while Williams has just six. Dallas has 14 games to play in the season.

The Mavericks do have an open roster spot, but are just under their first-apron hard cap. That means Dallas can't sign a player until there only four days left in the NBA season, which would leave the Mavs with two games to play.

NBA teams are required to dress at least eight players for each game. In some circumstances, teams have had injured players dress, but then not play in games. 

Via Keith Smith/Spotrac

[NBA4Lyfe]

Lottery gonna be rigged for the Mavs to get a top 3 pick

[Luv those Knicks]

I think the NBA is going to change this. Allow hardship signings for g-league players when a team is this short handed.

The Knicks played some games with short rosters this year, but not nearly as tight as the Mavs are right now, and have been recently, and will be for the rest of the year.

[beefymajesto]

And there's a reason they can't sign a 10 day?

[Zeno]

And there's a reason they can't sign a 10 day?

They are hardcapped so only have 50k to spend and 10 day contracts cost 110k. I think they will have to cut a two way that runs out of eligibility and sign a fresh one with full nba two-way eligibility even if it is a downgrade in talent

[Nazrmohamed]

What actually happens if they can't dress 8 players?

[elmdawgg69]

What actually happens if they can't dress 8 players?

The article says they can dress injured players but not play them. So they’ll just go with a seven man rotation until they can sign the 10 day contract in April.

[ontnut]

What actually happens if they can't dress 8 players?

They have to go to centre court and do the funky chicken. Then based on the rating from the crowd, they'll be allowed to play with 7 players, or forfeit.

[Indomitable]

They will get a top 3 pick

[miamiheat319]

And there's a reason they can't sign a 10 day?

They are hardcapped so only have 50k to spend and 10 day contracts cost 110k. I think they will have to cut a two way that runs out of eligibility and sign a fresh one with full nba two-way eligibility even if it is a downgrade in talent

deadline to sign two way players was march 4

[Jabroni Lames]

Great job NBA Players Association! This is what you get for protecting your job security.

[Luv those Knicks]

Great job NBA Players Association! This is what you get for protecting your job security.

The aprons are kind of working. Putting limits on spending, which is what the owners wanted. But this is obviously a bug they didn't think of and need to work out. I also think this is something the owners pushed for not the players. Asking the players to give up guaranteed contracts is a big ask, so . . . I wouldn't blame this on the players. I think this was an owner's error.

The NFL has a hard cap, but they have enough work arounds that teams are never short a few players when they play. This is just something the NBA needs to fix.