Morez Johnson Jr. Listed Questionable as Mavericks Manage Lingering Leg Injury

The Dallas Mavericks are playing the questionable game again, this time with frontcourt piece Morez Johnson Jr. According to Underdog NBA, the Mavericks have officially listed the big man as questionable for Monday's slate with a lingering leg issue.

"Questionable" in the modern NBA is basically a coin flip weighted by how much the training staff wants to deal with paperwork. For Johnson, this is just the latest chapter in a frustrating battle with shin splints that has kept his availability in a constant state of flux.

"Underdog NBA reported: 'Morez Johnson Jr. (leg) listed questionable Monday.'"

When he actually gets on the floor, the flashes are real. Just look at his recent 18-minute run where he dropped an ultra-efficient 10 points, grabbed six boards, and dished three assists in a 120-96 blowout. That is the exact kind of per-minute production that makes you think he could actually swing a rotation.

But you cannot rely on a guy who might be wearing street clothes by tip-off. Johnson recently suited up against the San Antonio Spurs but was slapped with a strict minutes restriction to manage the lower leg injury. If you are looking at Dallas frontcourt props or trying to find a cheap fantasy value play, this questionable tag means you are flying blind until warmups.

The Mavericks are going to need his size and energy eventually, but they clearly are not rushing the process for a guy dealing with shin splints. Keep an eye on the final injury report Monday afternoon, because if Johnson is ruled out, expect the rest of the Dallas bigs to absorb a heavy workload.