Mavericks to guarantee Frank Ntilikina’s $2M salary

The Mavericks plan to retain Frank Ntilikina past his guarantee date Monday, fully guaranteeing him the $2M in his contract, veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein reports.

Ntilikina will remain under contract with the team. He appeared in 58 games last season, averaging 4.1 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.5 steals in 11.8 minutes. Ntilikina continues to intrigue teams because of his defense. Offensively, he hasn’t shot over 40% in any of his five NBA seasons.

Dallas is gearing up for another playoff run next year. The team traded for star big man Christian Wood this offseason, pairing Luka Doncic with a frontcourt presence to compete in the West. Big man Maxi Kleber will also see his salary ($9M) get guaranteed if he isn’t waived by the end of Sunday.