The Dallas Mavericks have been a nice surprise so far this season at 25-21, but coming into the season the center position was a major question mark. Zaza Pachulia has been great as the starter there and almost earned an All-Star selection because of it, but the backup spot behind Pachulia has remained in flux. JaVale McGee has been getting some of the backup minutes, but rookie Salah Mejri might be earning himself more minutes, according to Eddie Sefco of the Dallas Morning News.
Mejri is a 29-year-old center from Tunisia who is in his first season in the NBA. So far Mejri hasn't had much of a role with the Mavericks, as he has been back and forth to the D-League several times and appeared in just eight games, but when he has played he has been quite effective. Head coach Rick Carlisle has liked what he has seen from his 7-foot-1 rookie and says that more minutes could be coming his way.
"I don't hesitate to call anybody's number on our roster. Everybody's played when it counts. He's one guy that's been kind of an odd man out because of our depth at center. In these two Thunder games, he's making a case that he deserves some minutes," said Carlisle.
On Sunday Mejri got the start against the Houston Rockets because Pachulia was out with a lower right leg issue, and he played great. In 29 minutes Mejri scored 10 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots. The interesting part of this game, besides Mejri's great play, was the fact that he was the only center to get minutes. McGee has been seeing about 12 minutes per game, but he was a DNP- coaches decision in this one, and it is very possible that Mejri could be passing him on the depth chart.
McGee has been seeing action in every game for the most part and has played well, but he has not seen big minutes. McGee's minutes have been limited since coming back from a leg injury of his own, but both he and Mejri have PERs over 20, which is the highest on the team. Carlise now has a lot of options at the center position that it didn't seem like he would have before the season began. There are only so many minutes to go around so he will have a tough choice between McGee and Mejri, but the rookie is making a nice case to be a full-time member of the Mavericks' rotation.
