Game 22: Dallas Mavericks (6-15) vs. Denver Nuggets (14-5) | 8:00pm CST

[F Gump]

Stein says they can convert Nembhard to a standard NBA contract in January.

Yep. G38 (Jan 8) is when they 1st have barely enough money to waive Exum and replace him with a ROS minimum.

But there is no rush. No other team can sign him away.

Right now they also lack a roster spot and money. As noted, to pay a partial year at the minimum, G 38 is when they would have enough. But no real need or benefit to do it that early, and unless you're Nico, you leave as much cushion as you can for unexpected issues that might arise later.

The roster spot can happen by waiving Exum, but they might as well see if they need his contract as filler in a trade. Can't do that if he was already waived. That's another reason to wait. 

If they're smart, they wait and do something after the TDL. For practical purposes, the target date (assuming he continues to play well) would be after his 50 games of eligibility run out. Currently, that would be for G58. If he is injured or inactive between now and then, it extends it. G 58 is late Feb after the TDL.

Probably will be a 2 year minimum. (That's the biggest and longest they could offer, unless they find a way to clear a lot of salary by the TDL.) 

FWIW this could have been (and probably was) their hope for him all along, to see if they could get him up to NBA speed and then if successful, to move him to the 15-man later in the year.