PJ Dozier has an NBA gig. The undrafted guard out of South Carolina seemed in danger of slipping past the league before the end of the offseason, which could have spelled trouble for his playing future. That didn't happen, though. According to late reports, the Dallas Mavericks have signed him to a contract. The deal doesn't assure him an NBA gig when the regular season starts, but it's a step in the right direction.
Dozier signs a deal
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the deal on Thursday evening. The deal is only partially guaranteed, meaning the Mavericks can cut bait with little penalty.
Essentially, only the signing bonus is guaranteed as the player operates through training camp and the preseason. It's not as good as a two-way contract between the NBA and the G-League, but Dozier will use it as motivation to prove himself in the coming weeks and months.
At first, it seemed as if Dozier was going to land with the Los Angeles Lakers, as they signed him for the Summer League. He struggled with an ankle injury, however, playing just nine minutes in total and scoring a measly two points. The ankle should be better by the time training camp begins, but the Lakers weren't interested in waiting that long to give him a further look. Their loss might turn out to be the Mavericks' gain.
The Mavericks make a move
By all accounts, the Mavericks had a successful Summer League campaign earlier in the month. Much of the focus was geared toward first-round pick Dennis Smith Jr., who proved to be one of the most exciting players in the whole league, throwing down ferocious dunks and attempting even more lethal dunks.
So why did the team decide to take a chance on Dozier after their roster performed so well?
Dozier was one of the two catalysts that led the South Carolina Gamecocks to their first ever Final Four last season (along with Los Angeles Clippers rookie Sindarius Thornwell). He averaged 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, boosting his scoring numbers when the NCAA Tournament rolled around.
The 20-year old scored 17 points in the Final Four loss to Gonzaga. He has good court vision, but struggles shooting from the perimeter -- practically a prerequisite to play major minutes in the NBA these days. The Mavericks have a solid recent history of working with guards who were dismissed by scouts, though, turning Seth Curry and Yogi Ferrell into rotational players last season.
