Mavs add Burke after Cauley-Stein opts out of resumed season

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks signed guard Trey Burke on Wednesday after center Willie Cauley-Stein decided not to rejoin the team for the planned resumption of the season.

Burke spent part of the 2018-19 season with the Mavericks after coming over in the blockbuster trade that also brought Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks.

The 27-year-old Burke played 25 games this season with Philadelphia before he was waived in February, about a month before the NBA shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Cauley-Stein, acquired in a deal with Golden State before the trading deadline this year, opted out of playing because of the impending birth of his daughter this month.

President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said the Mavericks chose a guard over an interior player because of a need for backups behind All-Star Luka Doncic and shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr.

Jalen Brunson, one of the backups to Doncic, won’t play if the season resumes because of shoulder surgery.

Burke has career averages of 10.5 points and 3.5 assists in 386 games over seven seasons. He has played for Utah and Washington in addition to the Knicks, Mavericks and 76ers.

The Mavericks are supposed to resume the season July 31 against Houston in Orlando, Florida.