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Ten days into their stay inside the NBA Bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, a clearer picture of who the Dallas Mavericks have available is emerging. In a Zoom presser with the media Saturday morning, head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed that another player, Trey Burke, has yet to join the team.
Burke is the second Mavericks player that hasn’t joined the team. The other is Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. While neither are with the team, Carlisle insists that the team is making progress on getting them to the bubble.
“It’s logistics,” Carlisle said. “That’s about what I can tell you on that. I do think we’re closer to getting those guys here. Beyond that, I really can’t say anything else because of stipulations, regulations, and all that kind of stuff.”
Dallas signed Burke to the roster when center Willie Cauley-Stein announced that he would not be joining the team in Orlando. He made the decision to separate from the team because he and his partner were expecting the birth of a daughter.
Burke last played with the Mavericks in the 2018-19 season. He came to Dallas from the New York Knicks as part of the blockbuster trade for Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavs didn’t retain him and Burke went on to play for the Philadelphia 76ers for much of this season before being waived earlier this year.
Burke was brought in to give some depth to the point guard position with Jalen Brunson out for the remainder of the season rehabbing a shoulder injury.
With both Burke and Kidd-Gilchrist not at Disney, the Mavericks effectively have just 12 men on their active roster. That includes the two players on two-way contracts—Antonius Cleveland and Josh Reaves.
A shorthanded roster heading into a unique and uncertain season restart isn’t ideal. If nothing else, Burke and Kidd-Gilchrist can help spell other players when games resume. Listening to Carlisle, it seems he still expects them to join the team eventually.
“The hope is to get those guys here sooner than later,” Carlisle said.