Mavericks F Brandan Wright undergoes MRI on troubled shoulder
By Brad Rowland
Opinions vary greatly on the projection for the 2013-2014 Dallas Mavericks, but among the things that are certain with Dallas is a defined role for the recently re-signed Brandan Wright. However, the veteran forward’s status is suddenly up in the air after a report from ESPNDallas.com:
Brandan Wright got an MRI to determine severity of injury to left shoulder. Missed 2009-10 season after surgery on that shoulder.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) October 10, 2013
News of an MRI for Wright is a bit unsettling, mostly due to the stated reason (from Tim MacMahon) of his previous issues that caused him to miss an entire season. At the moment, Wright is considered the “3rd big man” for Dallas, meaning that he’ll be the first call off the bench to spell either Dirk Nowitzki or Samuel Dalembert, and he was extremely effective last season in Dallas.
His PER (player efficiency rating) of 21.03 in 2012-2013 illustrates just how efficient and fantastic Wright was in a limited role, and he was compensated handsomely (2 years, $10 million) for his efforts. However, Wright has a documented history of injury trouble, and that was the major knock against signing him to a significant contract.
Hopefully for the Mavericks organization, this is a minor bump in the road that won’t detract from the upcoming season. However, if it is an issue that lingers, the Mavs could be forced to look outside of their current roster for help, as their in-house options are mediocre at best.