As soon as Dallas Mavericks fans saw Ryan Nembhard dominate during NBA Summer League, they dreamed of him having a real role in Jason Kidd's rotation as a rookie, and this dream may be coming true as his first season in the NBA will begin next week.
Kidd hasn't been shy about praising Nembhard when given the chance, and when taking Kidd's comments into account, combined with Dallas' roster construction and Nembhard's performance during the preseason, it sounds like he could be playing real minutes on day one.
"Ryan could easily be in that rotation," Kidd said after Dallas' 121-94 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. "He's made a case for that, and he's on a two-way."
Jason Kidd's trust in Ryan Nembhard is growing fast
Nembhard was exceptional in all four preseason games, as he averaged five points, five rebounds, and one steal per game while shooting 37.5 percent from downtown. He wasn't getting extended run in these games, and he still found a way to be this productive despite only playing 16 minutes per game.
He made his impact felt quickly as soon as he stepped onto the floor, as he is already one of the best passers on the team, and Kidd may lean upon him early for some guard minutes off the bench as soon as next week when the Mavericks take on the San Antonio Spurs.
Dallas clearly still needs to get healthy, as Brandon Williams didn't make his preseason debut until last night due to a hamstring strain that he was dealing with, but their injuries could play into Nembhard's favor when it comes to potentially securing a role right out of the gate. Dante Exum will likely miss time due to some discomfort in his right knee that has kept him out of training camp and the preseason, and with Kyrie Irving set to miss extended time as well, the opportunity for Nembhard to become a household name in Dallas is right in front of him.
Kidd said it himself when he noted that Nembhard could "easily" be part of the rotation after last night's game in Las Vegas. Kidd's trust in him to handle the rock and make the right plays grew as the preseason went on, as he pledged to get him some more minutes with the first group after Monday's game against Utah, and he kept his promise by making Nembhard a real piece of the rotation last night.
Without Irving and Exum, the Mavericks need more playmaking and passing out of the backcourt to begin the year, and that's exactly where Nembhard will come into play. D'Angelo Russell is an extremely underrated passer and playmaker, but outside of him, their options are thin at point guard when it comes to a player who can make advanced reads and set up their teammates for easy shots.
This is Nembhard's bread and butter, as he is always looking to make the extra pass, and his ability to knock down open threes and get both feet into the paint and finish with a floater or short jumper will force defenses to collapse on him, allowing him to pick the defense apart even more if they sell out on him. These are two things that he worked hard on with skills trainer Jeremie Hart, and he seems more NBA-ready by the game.
Nembhard's skillset is unique when comparing him to the other guards on the roster, and Mavericks fans' wish of him being an every-night-type of player could come true as soon as next week. It must be remembered that Nembhard is on a two-way deal, meaning he can only be active for 50 games, but Kidd hasn't been shy about playing his two-way guys in the past.
Both Williams and Kessler Edwards reached their 50-game limits on two-way deals last season, and Williams ultimately ended up earning a standard deal from the Mavericks before the end of the season. We could see a similar result for Nembhard by the end of this season, and it seems like he's already taken the first step of becoming a staple on the Mavs by winning Kidd's trust and proving he can maximize the talent that the coaching staff places around him.
He makes his teammates better, which is a hard skill to find for a rookie, and the rest of the league will quickly realize that they made a mistake by allowing him to go undrafted after leading the NCAA in assists as a senior at Gonzaga.