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ESPNDallas.com will estimate the market value for each of the Mavericks' eight free agents and examine their worth to the Mavs in a once-per-day series.

Mike James

Mike James was a heck of a pickup off the scrap heap for the Mavericks. But he certainly isn’t a long-term solution for their glaring hole at point guard.

Give the journeyman credit. He worked his way back into the NBA via the D-League for the second consecutive season and contributed much more to the Mavs -- the 11th team of his NBA odyssey -- than anyone other than himself anticipated.

James actually started the last 23 games of the season and was relatively productive during that span, averaging 8.2 points and 4.2 assists while shooting 41.9 percent from 3-point range. The Mavs went 15-8 in that stretch, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive until the final week.

James has said he hopes to play two more years for the Mavs. However, the odds of him being given a two-year deal are significantly less than the Mavs’ puny chances of winning the lottery.

Maybe James can be an insurance policy again for the Mavs, but there’s no good reason to guarantee a roster spot to a player who has been available in the middle of the season each of the last four years.

2012-13 stats: Averaged 6.1 points, 3.1 assists, 1.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 1.2 turnovers while shooting 37.3 percent from the floor and 38.4 percent from 3-point range in 19.2 minutes per game.

Age: 37

Comps:

Derek Fisher – Averaged 5.3 points, 1.4 assists, 1.1 rebounds, 0.6 steals and 0.9 turnovers while shooting 34.2 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from 3-point range in 17.4 minutes per game. Played this season for prorated veteran’s minimum salary.

Pablo Prigioni – Averaged 3.5 points, 3.0 assists, 1.8 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 1.1 turnovers while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and 39.6 percent from 3-point range in 16.2 minutes per game. Played this season for the league minimum.

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Chris Duhon – Averaged 2.9 points, 2.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds, 0.4 steals and 0.9 turnovers while shooting 38.2 percent from the floor and 36.3 percent from 3-point range in 17.8 minutes per game. Signed a four-year, $13.25 million salary during the 2010 offseason.

Jeremy Pargo – Averaged 6.8 points, 2.4 assists, 1.3 rebounds, 0.3 steals and 1.3 turnovers while shooting 39.6 percent from the floor and 33.8 percent from 3-point range in 16.8 minutes per game. Played this season for prorated veteran’s minimum salary.

Estimated contract: If James gets invited to a training camp, it’s likely to be for a nonguaranteed veteran’s minimum deal.