(www.masslive.com)

Could the D-League’s Texas Legends’ signing of Delonte West be a signal that Rick Carlise is ready to allow him back on the Mavericks? One would have to think so. Carlise was less than forthcoming on ESPN 103.3 fm with Randy Galloway this afternoon, saying that the Legends make moves indepentant of the Mavs so it really means nothing.

While I understand that the Legends need to sell tickets, I also understand that the Mavs’ general manager is the owner of the Legends, and that somehow West was talked out of signing a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies to join the Legends. That doesn’t seem like the move one would make without at least a glimmer of hope he could rejoin his old team.

The Mavs don’t have a viable backup point guard. They haven’t since Derek Fisher took the “I don’t have time to be .500″ plane out of Dallas. Collison is ok, but hasn’t been able to lock down the closer role from Mike James, who, let’s face it, at 37 isn’t half the player Delonte West is.

If the Mavs take this decision solely from a basketball perspective, Delonte will be with the big club in under a week. They are most likely trying to gauge where his head is though after preseason antics that got him cut from Dallas in the first place. I expect that it will take at least two weeks, but West will be a Mav again.

It just makes too much sense. Dirk loves him, Cuban loves him, he wants to be here. It also doesn’t hurt that he would immediately be the only Maverick capable of guarding the point guard position.

Barring any bi-polar incident, Delonte West should be a Maverick again.