As you’ve probably heard, Shawn Marion is headed to Dallas. What you might not have heard is who is leaving. Say your goodbyes to Devean George and Antoine Wright. They’re headed to Toronto in a complicated deal involving Dallas, Toronto, and Memphis.
So what are the Mavericks losing?
At age 31, Devean George was slated to earn $1.6 million. He’s a 6’8″ small forward providing mostly defense. Devean contributed 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, in which he averaged 16.5 minutes per game.
At age 25, Antoine Wright was slated to earn $1.8 million. He’s a 6’7″ shooting guard who contributed 7.3 points and 2 rebounds in 24 minutes on average per game.
Statistically, neither were serious contributors. Wright was the starting shooting guard for most of the season, but that was more of a strategic decision on Carlisle’s part, keeping Jason Terry back as the 6th Man (btw, he was 6th Man of the Year).
Devean left a bad taste in my mouth after refusing to be included in the Jason Kidd for Devin Harris deal. New Jersey, by the way, made out like gangbusters on that trade, with a starting All-Star point guard, two first round draft picks, and DeSagana Diop. But Devean clogged up the trade works and refused to budge. After getting on everyone’s nerves, he should have played his heart out to prove his worth. But no. See ya later, Devean.
I have no complaints about Antoine Wright’s stay here. I think he played hard and played to his potential. He isn’t the scorer or defender that Dallas needs, but he IS a solid player, and Toronto will probably play him at starting shooting guard.
What are they Gaining?
No tears shed over this scenario. Dallas probably paid too much for Marion, but he’s a solid player. Last season, Marion averaged 12.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He played 36 minutes per game on average. Whether he’s the ideal acquisition is up for debate, but he is, at the very least, a talent upgrade.
