Seth Curry will be a lot of fun to watch in a contract year

The Dallas Mavericks are known for their reclamation projects in recent years. However, last season was more focused on finding diamonds in the rough, rather than trying to refurbish damaged goods. With God Shammgod hired as the player development coach, that approach turned out surprisingly well for the Mavs (Shammgod was recently signed to a 4-year extension to stay in Dallas).

Although Yogi Ferrell may have been the biggest surprise of all last season, Seth Curry exploding onto the scene sent waves of excitement through a fanbase that isn’t used to seeing talent develop before their own eyes (at least not recently).

Before arriving in Dallas, Curry had only played in 48 real NBA games, 44 of which were with the Sacramento Kings. Last season with the Mavs, Curry more than outplayed his contract (he signed a two-year, $6 million deal with Dallas before the 2016-17 season), playing in 70 games and averaging 12.8 points, 2.7 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game.

Those numbers may not be "eye-popping," but Curry’s efficiency (he was eighth in the entire league in three-point percentage last season) and performance as a starter both fueled the hope that there could be a lot more in store for him going forward.

Biggest question

The biggest question for Seth Curry has to be whether he can keep up his super-efficient play with a full season of playing starter-like minutes. As good as Curry was towards the end of last season, his sample size is still relatively small (he’s only played a total of 118 games in his career so far).

That being said, he is a Curry, after all. Being consistently efficient is part of his pedigree. Plus he’s only 27 years old, and there’s a hope that he could still be more than just a really good role player, potentially being a late bloomer like his older brother, Steph Curry. I think he’ll be perfectly ok, and will keep progressing as he continues to gain more experience.

Best case scenario

The best outcome for Seth Curry this season would be for him to firmly establish himself in the Sixth Man of the Year conversation and/or play so well that Rick Carlisle is tempted to start him at shooting guard in place of Wesley Matthews. Since I believe this will be Matthews’ best season as a Maverick, I’d say the first scenario would be more likely, unless Dennis Smith Jr. struggles at some point, and Carlisle opts to start Curry at point guard.

Worst case scenario

On the flip side, it would be a nightmare if Curry were to somehow find himself lost in the rotation this season due to inconsistent play. Overall, I feel like Curry is an underrated defender. For that reason, I don’t see him ever having to spend time in Coach Carlisle’s doghouse. Wes is living, breathing proof that you can really struggle offensively, but dig deep on the defensive end and stay on the floor.

Another minor thing to keep an eye on this season is Curry’s health, particularly when it comes to his shoulder. The Mavs were eliminated from playoff contention early last season, so it’s a safe bet that Curry was held out for precautionary reasons when his shoulder issues showed up.

Overall, the best case scenario seems to be a lot more likely than the worst case scenario, and I think Curry, who is in the last year of his super-bargain contract, will receive a big pay increase from the Mavs after he proves himself this season. It will be well deserved, because I believe Curry is going to make the fanbase very happy going forward.