Samuel Dalembert to Mavericks: Latest Contract Details, Analysis and Reaction

Samuel Dalembert has officially signed a contract with the Dallas Mavericks and will return to the team after spending one year with the New York Knicks, the team announced.

According to ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon reported the contract is a one-year, $1.4 million deal that will allow him to come aboard as a backup center. 

Bobby Marks, the Brooklyn Nets' former assistant general manager, argued Dalembert will fill an obvious void in the Mavericks defense:

Jeff Wade of 105.3 The Fan in Dallas/Fort Worth also believed Dallas did the best it could at this stage to add depth at the 5:

Dalembert was waived by the Knicks January 5 after being acquired in a deal that sent Tyson Chandler to the Dallas Mavericks last June, and he didn't latch on with another team for the duration of the season after clearing waivers. 

In 32 appearances (21 starts) with the Knicks during the 2014-15 campaign, Dalembert averaged four points and 5.3 rebounds while swatting 1.3 shots per night—his highest total since the 2011-12 season. 

For as long as he's been in the NBA, Dalembert's most redeemable skill has been his ability to alter shots at the rim. During the brief time he was on the floor last season, the 34-year-old held opponents to 42.6 percent shooting when he was their primary defender, according to SportVU player-tracking data on NBA.com. That mark graded out 5.1 percent lower than the field-goal percentage (47.7) of players he typically defended.

However, the 6'11" center is still an inconsistent product on offense. 

For his career, Dalembert shoots 40.6 percent between 10 and 16 feet and just 39.3 percent between 16 feet and the three-point line, according to Basketball-Reference.com. A majority (51 percent) of his attempts have come inside of three feet, though, and he has converted those looks at a far superior 64.3 percent. 

Nonetheless, Dalembert isn't a particularly threatening pick-and-roll partner because of his shaky jumper, and with 13 seasons under his belt, he's not a bouncy presence as a dive man.