After battling against the odds just to make the Dallas Mavericks’ roster going into the 2014-15 season, veteran forward Charlie Villanueva found a way to become a valuable contributor to the team off the bench.
The 6-foot-11 big man then made the most of his opportunity, earning Mavs coach Rick Carlisle’s trust in the process while appearing in 64 games this season. And after getting his initial taste of playoff basketball during the Mavericks’ first-round series against the second-seeded Houston Rockets, Villanueva hopes to pick up where he left off at going into next season by re-signing with the team this summer in free agency.
“I would love to come back,” Villanueva proclaimed after the Mavs fell in five games to the in-state rival Rockets. “It felt like this organization gave me an opportunity, gave me a chance and took a chance on me. I’m loyal, and I would love to be back, but that’s not my decision. Hopefully, management and my agent can work something out.”