Exclusive: Mavs To Sign Guard Von Wafer

   The Mavericks intend to sign street-free-agent shooting guard Von Wafer, Mavs GM Donnie Nelson tells DallasBasketball.com, pending a second workout, a review with coach Rick Carlisle, and medical clearance for a bulging disc problem.

   “We need more evaluation,’’ Nelson says, “but we’re prepared to make something work there, yes.’’

   So who is Vakeaton Quamar Wafer? Where has he been? And how can he help?

     *This weekend, he joined fellow free agent Rashad McCants in a workout in Dallas. One source close to the team says Wafer’s tryout was not especially impressive – but that is apparently due to his sore back. In any event, his work was superior to McCants’, who is no longer in Dallas’ plans.

     *Wafer will apparently workout again Monday under the supervision of Carlisle … and the Mavs medical staff.

     “It’s the sort of thing guys play with all the time,’’ Donnie tells us. “We don’t think it’s anything all that serious.’’

     *Here's the requisite YouTube highlight reel.

     *Wafer is legit SG size. He’s 6-5, well over 200 pounds.

     *His skills? We’ve said before that at his very best, he might become a Jet-like player in some ways, lots of good shooting skills with just so-so defense. He now has a reputation as a shoot-first-ask-questions later guy.

     *Wafer, 24, was a vital scorer for Houston late in the season and in the playoffs, getting about 20 minutes per for a team that made that surprisingly impressive run. …

    *But then it seems he got cross-wise with coach Rick Adelman. Our impression from afar is that they didn't want to mess with him anymore last summer. … though maybe the issue this time around was related to his back. … So, again by reputation, there is some knuckleheadedness here. In fact, at Florida State, he endured some benching/suspensions. One thing about knuckleheadedness in the Mavs room, though: The presence of KIDDIRK seems to cure some of that.

     *Assuming he made a personality-related mistake with Adelman … he’s still a kid. He is, at the very least, another of those Lightning-In-A-Bottle Boys (LIBB) that we often talk about … Except that unlike some of them, he’s actually accomplished things on a grand NBA stage.

    *He’s been a minimum-salary player so far in the NBA, and will be that now. ... (maybe so "minimum'' that he begins with a 10-day contract.)

    *The Mavs have other needs ... but maybe right now they just need a body. Damp's down, Tim Thomas is out ...

    *Last year he was almost a 45-percent shooter overall, and he was 39-percent on 3’s. Does that mean he fills a need? After all, Dallas gave tryouts to a pair of scoring 2-guards (and in fact, McCants' tweets helped provide early hints here.)

    We say that Wafer's positives don't mean he gets on the court for Dallas. … Caron Butler starts at the 2, Jason Terry plays there as the first man off the bench, J.J. Barea is most natural there … But if Wafer ever does play, he can shoot it.

    *Is there more news coming related to Mavs roster moves?

    Stay tuned. …