Fifth in a series of 10 examining the likelihood of each of the pending free agents from the 2014-15 roster returning to the Dallas Mavericks.
2014-15 stats: 2.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 0.9 blocks, 44.4 field goal percentage in 9.9 minutes per game (16 games)
It’s safe to say that Bernard James won’t be a Mavs priority when free agency begins. Or at any point, for that matter.
The 30-year-old big man known as “Sarge,” a nod to his Air Force rank, has been waived twice in the three years since the Mavs selected him in the second round of the draft. No other NBA team ever claimed him despite his minimum salary, but the Mavs liked James enough to bring him back both times.
James might return to Dallas again, at least for training camp, but it’s doubtful that he will do so on a guaranteed contract.
The Mavs made the mistake of guaranteeing the one-year minimum deal James signed last summer, only to waive him to training camp. The Mavs had to pay him while he played in China, then he double-dipped when he came back to Dallas on a couple of 10-day deals before signing for the rest of the season in early March.
That shouldn’t happen again, but James might get another shot with the Mavs.
