The Dallas Mavericks must get help or suffer reality
The Dallas Mavericks have been moving in the wrong direction this week, as they dropped their two past games. Their first lost came Sunday against the Orlando Magic where they fell by two. The second defeat was on Wednesday after they dropped an overtime game to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It wasn’t too long ago that the team had a realistic chance at moving up into the number four spot in the West. While the Mavs are still two games back from Utah, there is still so much more than could be done.
The Dallas Mavericks must make a move this trade deadline or suffer another first round exit.
Let us first look at the Dallas’s recent struggles:
1. Injuries, Injuries, Injuries
Right now two of the team’s top scorers are out with serious or unknown injuries. One player who’s status is unknown is Kristaps Porzingis. KP left Saturday’s game against Indiana with right knee soreness and since then has been MIA. While this is nothing new, this is something that must be addressed as this has been an ongoing issue for the past two seasons.
Another player that took a blow for the team is Tim Hardaway Jr. The team’s four leading scorer suffered metatarsal fracture on January 25 against the Golden State Warriors. Just this week he has surgery for the broken bone and is suspected to be out for nearly three months. Basically, Dallas will be missing their sixth-man for the remainder of the season.
2. There has been little to no help
Along with the injuries, Doncic has been a loose duck. Over the past couple of games he hasn’t had much help on the offensive side of the ball.
Against Orlando Sunday the team (excluding Luka) shot 26 of 59. Reggie Bullock hit 30 percent of his shots and Maxi Kleber went two of seven from three. This doesn’t include Dorian Finey-Smith who went three of nine from the field. Only three other players had double-digit points and a shooting percent above 50. The list includes Jalen Brunson, Josh Green and Marquese Chriss. However, Doncic was the only player to score above 20 points.
Fast Forward to Tuesday night and only Doncic, Brunson and Bullock performed well offensively. Compare that to Finney-Smith went one of seven from the floor. In overtime Doncic proved he couldn’t do it all on his own. During the last five minutes of the game he missed all of his attempted three-point shots and got a technical foul late in the game. The only other Mavs to score in OT were Brunson, Bullock and Kleber (who scored in the last 14 seconds.)
So what’s the solution?
Trade!!! Trade!! Trade!! The trade deadline is about a week away and the team must make any sort of move if they hope to contend down the line.
The last big trade was in 2019 when the team acquired KP. Before that we’ve seen the team acquire the likes of players such as Nerlens Noel and Doug McDermott. Both whom lasted nearly a season or less with Dallas.
Last season the team traded for J.J. Reddick, but that didn’t seem to work out as he was hurt for most the playoffs.
Oh and please don’t mention the Seth Curry-Josh Richardson trade from 2020.
Currently Dallas is linked to players like Myles Turner, Dennis Schroder, John Collins and Goran Dragic.
Next. Dallas Mavericks Trade Desk: Remember the lesson Rajon Rondo taught us. dark
If the team wants to take a step in the right direction they must pick up the phone now. Anyone of the players mentioned above would be tremendous help for a team looking to move up in standings. A big trade is something that must be done. Anything to get Doncic the help he deserves. If not Dallas could be looking at another one and done season.