CHICAGO -- Not every player signing happens solely because of the basketball end of the NBA’s business.
The Mavericks have put the wheels in motion to sign veteran Chinese swingman Ding Jinhui this summer and have him play in their summer league and likely be on their training camp roster, president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said.
Jinhui, 27, has been playing professionally with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association since 2006. He was eligible for the 2011 NBA draft but was not selected.
He has become one of China’s best players and the Mavericks are hopeful he can grow into a solid NBA contributor.