The Dallas Mavericks were in the running for both Andrew Bynum and Greg Oden when they were free agents and after the players signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat, the team is looking for other ways to get a quality big man and that is why they are bringing Fab Melo to training camp.
According to ESPN.com, Melo received an invite to training camp for the Mavericks and this comes after he was previously traded to the Memphis Grizzlies by the Boston Celtics. The Grizzlies decided to waive him after the trade was completed and now he has the chance to get on the roster of a team that feels it is a playoff contender in the West this year and could be a big change from his time playing in the NBA Developmental League, where he spent most of last season.
The Mavericks signed Samuel Dalembert back after having him a few years ago, but the team wants more depth in the front court and since they lost both Odom and Bynum to other teams, they feel that Melo is a solid option to bring in. Melo was a first round pick by the Boston Celtics, but he has yet to cash in on the potential he had coming out of Syracuse and now he could be moving onto his third team already after being traded from the Celtics and waived by the Grizzlies.
Melo was very good in the D-League, putting up nearly 10 points per game and six rebounds while also averaging over three blocked shots, but clearly his time did not translate into the NBA very well, as he played in just six games for the Celtics and averaged 1.2 points and less than one rebound in six minutes per contest.
Melo was the number 22 pick in the draft for the Celtics last year and after having some academic issues in college, clearly he is having trouble adjusting to the NBA. The Celtics traded Melo for Donte Greene to help clear some financial space and they gave up on him after just one season and clearly were not impressed with how he played in the D-League. The Celtics drafted Kelly Olynyk this year and feel that he can come in and play right away, which was not the same case with Melo.
Memphis decided to waive Melo after acquiring him in a likely financial move as well and now he has the chance to try and turn his NBA career around with a new team that really needs some depth at his position.
