The Mavericks were informed Tuesday that swingman Devean George has exercised his player option for the 2009-10 season, his agent said.
George, 6-8, has been injury plagued for most of his three seasons with the Mavericks but also has enjoyed stretches of solid play as a backup and starter. He signed a two-year deal before last season and is scheduled to make $1.6 million next season. Agent Mark Bartelstein confirmed George's intentions.
While taking the option year keeps George on the roster, it's no guarantee he will be with the team in September when training camp opens. His contract ends after next season, which makes him an attractive trade chip that could be added into any deal to make the numbers work.
George played 43 games last season (17 starts) and averaged 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds before suffering a knee injury in March that required season-ending surgery.
Summer league addition: The Mavericks will have Baylor standout Curtis Jerrells on their summer-league roster, team president Donnie Nelson said.
Jerrells, a 6-1 point guard, led the Bears to the NIT finals as a senior last season and averaged 16.3 points and 4.9 assists. If he shows enough in the Las Vegas summer league, which begins July 10, he'll get an invitation to training camp.
Among other names that may be headed to the Mavericks' summer league: former DePaul guard Dar Tucker and Baylor's Kevin Rogers.
The Mavericks will start bringing in their summer-league players later this week. They will have camp in Dallas for a couple of days before heading to Las Vegas.
Briefly: While some names make no sense for the Mavericks in free agency, one to keep in mind is Allen Iverson - but only if Jason Kidd ends up elsewhere. Most people expect Iverson to get some mid-level exception offers.
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