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A year ago the Mavs signed Monta Ellis with the hope that he’d be an upgrade over the incredibly forgettable O.J. Mayo. The Mavs hoped that they could curtail some of Ellis’ wild plays and increase his efficiency, therefore turning him into a solid starter.

Ellis’ inefficiencies have been well documented. He was notorious for launching long, low-percentage jumpers and had a striking aversion to playing defense. His athleticism is undeniable, though before he came to Dallas his basketball IQ was in serious question.

But lo and behold, Ellis exceeded expectations and became a key cog in a 49-win Mavs team. And all of a sudden that third-year player option for $8.72 million seems like less of an albatross and more of a potential opt-out.

Of course, Ellis wasn’t the only new face to see time at the 2-guard. Devin Harris played quite a few minutes off the ball, and Vince Carter manned that spot when he came in off the bench.

But now things are a bit different. The Mavs added two starting-caliber point guards in Jameer Nelson and Raymond Felton to the backcourt, and Vinsanity signed a three-year deal in Memphis.

With all these new pieces in play, the shooting guard spot is due for a check-up before the season rolls around.

Grading Last Year’s Performance

After taking a chance and striking out for a year with Mayo, the Mavs had the gall to confidently walk back up to the plate and take another huge swing, this time with a three-year contract for Monta Ellis.

Fortunately, the gamble paid off this time.

Ellis’ reputation as a gunner seemed to fall by the wayside, as he averaged his usual 19 points, but he took fewer shots and upped his shooting by 3.5 points. And as Grantland’s Kirk Goldsberry documented in March, Ellis’ once illogical shot chart now has a very focused look to it.

As a member of the Milwaukee Bucks in 2012-13, Ellis shot from just about anywhere and rarely did he hit those shots consistently. As Maverick in 2013-14, Ellis obviously knew his spots. He made his money at the rim and around the right elbow, with a dash of threes sprinkled in.

And best of all, Ellis made his shots consistently.

Put it all together, and Monta becomes a weapon rather than an obstacle. Ellis rocketing off a Dirk Nowitzki screen became a feared play and subsequently the go-to for Dallas.

But Ellis’ turnaround wasn’t the only thing the Mavs had working for them. Once he was healthy, Devin Harris played some minutes at the 2 and proved to be well worth the veteran’s minimum that he played for last season.

On a team full of aging players with older legs, Harris provided a spark whenever he came off the bench. He loved attacking the paint, and was one of the few Mavs who could consistently create his own shot in the half court.

He became so integral to Dallas’ efforts he ended up playing 25.3 minutes per game in the playoffs against the Spurs.

And of course there was Vince Carter. He was a great bench scorer for the Mavs, putting up 11.9 points in 24.4 minutes per game while shooting 39.7 percent from three.

All that being said, there were some problems from Dallas’ shooting guard rotation last season. Ellis’ ability to play defense failed to improve like the rest of his game, and he was a liability on that end of the floor all season. Carter was also pretty bad defensively, though at 37 that’s more understandable.

Harris battled injuries all season and played in only 40 games. And though he provided an offensive spark, he also shot only 37.8 percent from the floor.

The position as a whole improved last season, but still had notable holes. Ellis and Harris both turned out to be shrewd signings, and Vince turned in another solid season. Injuries and defensive struggles held Dallas’ 2-guards back.

2013-14 Shooting Guards: B

What to Expect This Season

As with the rest of the roster, the shooting guard position was shaken up a bit with the Mavs’ offseason acquisitions.

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No true shooting was guard added, but Raymond Felton and Jameer Nelson are now in play. With Harris also still around at the point, there are a lot of starting-caliber players with only two spots. So the Mavs could easily trot out lineups with a point at the shooting guard.

And though that isn’t traditional, it’s a tool with which Dallas could really do well.

Dallas’ offense is built on ball movement and pick-and-rolls. The more smart players on the floor the better, and ball handlers are extremely valuable. In other words, more players with point guard skills is a very good thing.

That being said, most likely the Mavs’ shooting-guard rotation will remain the same.

There’s nothing to suggest that Ellis won’t continue being the minutes sponge he’s always been. And if he continues to cut down on the bad basketball plays he’ll be even more dangerous.

What really held Devin Harris back last season was health, and though he’s been an oft-injured player in his career, he’s fully healthy right now. And with a training camp under his belt, he should be more comfortable and his awful shooting percentages should bump up.

Between Harris and Ellis, that should be most of the minutes at shooting guard. Though unlikely, it’s possible that someone like Ricky Ledo, who led the Mavs’ summer league team in scoring, could crack the rotation. And depending on if the Mavs opt to go bigger, some small forward types like Chandler Parsons could see an occasional blow at the 2.

What it boils down to is that Monta Ellis will see 75 percent of the shooting-guard minutes. But with all the flexibility in the Mavs backcourt, that other 25 percent of the time could get very interesting. Maybe the Mavs go small with a point guard there, or maybe they want a bigger wing in that spot. Rick Carlisle could trot out some very interesting lineups, and that will start with how they utilize their minutes at the 2.

Giving Carlisle options is never a bad thing, and he’ll have plenty of weapons to play with at shooting guard this season. It should be a very fun year in Dallas.