Dallas Mavericks trades their draft picks for veteran Rudy Fernandez: NBA Update
Dallas Mavericks. Experience led them to the 2011 championship and after winning the title they are now sure-fire that there is no substitute to it. Following this chart, the Mavericks have taken their first step towards next season
preparations.
The Mavs exchanged their two draft picks on Thursday night in order to get their hands on the skilful point guard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Rudy Fernandez.
Mavericks' president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said, "We're in a playoff-championship push mode. We think the player we acquired is going to help us more than the pick would."
According to the sources it was known that the Mavs made the deal after they were done with the both picks in the draft. Dallas picked Jordan Hamilton as the 26th overall in the draft and used No. 57 to draft Targuy
Ngombo.
The trade also involves the rights of Petteri Koponen, a point guard from Finland, Who is playing in Europe at the moment. However, Koponen will take time to arrive, as the Mavs have to wait for him no less than one year.
However, until then the Mavs can rely on Rudy, who was jubilant to be a part of the champion squad. Dallas believes that Fernandez has the ability to go forward, though his stats are not impressive, but he is far better player
than what his numbers depict.
The 6 ft. 6 shooting guard maintains an average of 9.1 points per game with a .394 percentage of shooting from the field. Besides scoring his career average in assists is 2.2 per game and clutched 2.5 rebounds in all games.
About Fernandez, Nelson said, "Rudy is an athletic, young, exciting player with significant upside. His international and postseason experience will prove to be very valuable. Petteri is a young combo guard who was a first-round
selection in 2007 and is developing nicely in Europe."
The Mavs had tried different players at shooting guard position, but failed to find someone, who could deliver goods on consistent basis. Initially DeShawn Stevenson remained the starting shooter for the Mavs for most of the season.
Later the Mavs handed the responsibility to Rodrigue Beaubois, but because of his foot injury Dallas had to put Stevenson back to his old position.
In the NBA finals when the Miami Heat went 2-1 up in the best of seven game series coach Rick Carlisle rotate the roster and pushed Jose Juan Barea up in the starting line-up while placed Stevenson in the reserves. This didn’t
just turned out to be the key change of the entire series, but also proved a series winner, as both Stevenson and Barea outperformed the Heat with their astonishing play.
Now Stevenson’s contract is expired and he is available for the free agency market as well as Peja Stojakovic. So when Beaubois will return, Rudy can play as his backup. Up till now the Mavs haven’t thrown any light on Rudy’s role
in their line-up, but as compared to a fresh face Fernandez fits well in the roster because of his age and experience.
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