Jason Terry says Rudy Fernandez was not a replacement for DeShawn Stevenson: NBA Update
Dallas Mavericks star Jason Terry does not believe that Rudy Fernandez was a replacement for teammate DeShawn Stevenson. Terry is an ardent supporter of DeShawn and wants the Mavericks to retain his services once the lockout is
over.
The Mavs shopped Rudy Fernandez just before the trade deadline last midseason. Terry regards Fernandez as a very good player and was happy at having the opportunity to play alongside him. However, many analysts believed that Fernandez’s
inclusion in the roster could spell an end for Stevenson’s time with the Mavericks.
That assertion does not go down well with “Jet”, who was supremely impressed by Stevenson last season and cannot fathom why the Mavs would ever want to let him go.
Terry compared DeShawn with Rudy during a recent chat with ESPNDallas and concluded that the Mavs still need the raw tenacity that Stevenson brings to the court,
"Is Rudy Fernandez that type of player? Not that I know. He’s more offensive-minded. Is he tough? Yeah, he’s tough, but to guard Kobe [Bryant] and [Kevin] Durant and LeBron [James] and Dwyane Wade, you have to have a certain nastiness
about you, and DeShawn Stevenson has that."
Stevenson is a free agent this summer and it is not yet clear if the Mavericks would retain his services. They already have a long list of guards and Stevenson could end up not making the cut. The player also increased his profile
a lot with his displays in the playoffs last year. He was a force on defence like none other and came up with some big plays in the Finals against the Miami Heat. Therefore, he is sure to get some beefy contract offers whenever the free agency starts, offers
that the already over stretched Mavericks might not want to match.
Jet though believes that holding onto DeShawn is of great importance to the team. The gritty 6-foot-5 guard certainly showed his defensive credentials against some of the best offensive talents in the NBA last season. He also wound
up some of the opponents, most notably LeBron James, with whom he has some history, and it all added to the frustration that eventually became the reason for Miami’s downfall.
Terry values those qualities very highly, and he knows that the Mavs do not posses too many other players willing to do the dirty work. He therefore pleaded to the club’s owner and GM to make the right decision.
"I’m confident in Donnie Jr., and Cubes [owner Mark Cuban] to put this thing back together," Terry said. "We know what pieces we need to go forward."
Terry’s cause has been rejuvenated by the fact that Fernandez has signed with Real Madrid in the Spanish league during the lockout and with his return still uncertain, the Mavs might want to hold on to a tested back up.
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