NBA Rumors: Perry Ellis to join Dallas Mavericks for Summer League

Former Kansas forward Perry Ellis is joining the Dallas Mavericks for Summer League, according to a source.

Kansas basketball players had a rough day at the NBA Draft Thursday. Cheick Diallo was the only Jayhawk drafted, going in the second round, while Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden did not hear their names called at all Thursday.

It is tough to go from being a key player at a top college program to being undrafted, but there is the benefit of choosing a team after going undrafted. Ellis did just that by agreeing to join the Dallas Mavericks this summer.

The Mavericks are in a precarious position as both Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons may leave Dallas this summer. Several other players are also preparing for free agency, so Ellis may have found himself a perfect opportunity. If Nowitzki leaves, the Mavericks will be in full rebuild mode. Getting Ellis would be a treat as he would come in after starting three years at Kansas and would be ready to contribute right away. His leadership at Kansas would be an asset to a team that just lost its longtime leader and face of the franchise.

An invitation to Summer League is nothing more than a tryout with the team, but a player like Matthew Dellavedova of the Cleveland Cavaliers can attest to how valuable a spot on a Summer League roster can be after making the full-time roster the year before LeBron James returned. He is now a local hero and a champion.

Nowitzki leaving would give younger players more opportunities to make the roster and potentially become players to build around moving forward. Even if Ellis made the team and didn’t pan out, it wouldn’t be because he wasn’t given a chance.

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