The NBA revolves around money and the Mavericks may face an interesting decision when it comes to new sensation Ding Yanyuhang.

The 6-7 swingman has had some eye-catching moments during the summer league and the attention he's grabbing could inflate the price tag of keeping him in the organization this season.

Ding once was thought to be a great candidate for one of the league's new two-way contracts, which allow a player to develop in the G-League while also spending a maximum of 45 days with the parent NBA team. Such contracts do not count against a team's 15-man roster.

Baylor product Johnathan Motley already has signed a two-way deal and teams are limited to two of them per season.

For Ding, however, the money might be much better in China. So the Mavericks might be in a position where they have to offer Ding an outright NBA contract to keep him.

He's probably not ready for the NBA. But if the Mavericks believe he has a solid future, then keeping him makes sense.

That's part of why they signed Nicolas Brussino last season. He has loads of promise. He also has a non-guaranteed contract for next season if the Mavericks decline the option by July 20. All indications point to the Mavericks not picking up the guarantee and Brussino heading to another team or another league, possibly in Spain.

Or he could be traded before then.

What that will do is open up a roster spot that could have Ding's name on it.

It's hard not to like what the Mavericks have seen in the summer league, and it's not all about what's happened on the court. In three games at the MGM Resorts Summer League in Las Vegas, Ding has averaged 5 points and 2.7 rebounds in 11 minutes per game.

However, it's the attention he's gotten that has made it clear that Ding might have a future in the NBA. It's not exactly on the level of Jeremy Lin earlier this decade when his "Linsanity" took New York by storm. But Ding has a flair about him and the Mavericks are very much atuned to how strong the Chinese market can be with a rising player like Ding.

He was the MVP of China's top league last season.

"He's played really well and put himself in a real good position," president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. "He's got lots of opportunities. We like him a lot. And the whole thing has happened pretty fast."

The Mavericks likely will have to make a decision on Ding shortly after summer league ends on Monday.

Up next: The Mavericks had Wednesday off in summer league action while 16 teams took part in the first round of the playoffs.

The Mavericks got a first-round bye with their 3-0 record. They finished as the No. 3 seed and will play the winner of Wednesday's late acramento-Milwaukee game.

That could set up a meeting between No. 5-overall pick De'Aaron Fox of the Kings and No. 9 pick Dennis Smith Jr. of the Mavericks.

Twitter: @ESefko