Mavericks trade talk: 5 players the Mavs could trade for this season
By Reid Hanson
The Dallas Mavericks may not want to admit it, but they are a wheeling and dealing franchise. For years, they’ve tried to lure free agents to the city of Dallas and for years, free agents have rebuked their advances.
With the exception of a few outlier additions, if the Mavericks wish to do anything significant with their roster, it’s through the trade desk.
Mark Cuban built the Dallas franchise by trading player for player for player. Cuban and then-GM, Donnie Nelson, constantly churned their roster, testing new combinations seemingly biannually.
Recent years things have slowed down a bit. Tradeable assets have been limited and subsequent returns on assets have been understandably diminished. Even still, Kristaps Porzingis represented an enormous win at the time and last season’s move for Spencer Dinwiddie (ironically for KP) proved to be pivotal.
After a lackluster summer where the Mavs basically swapped Jalen Brunson for JaVale McGee in free agency, the trade market saved the Mavericks again with the addition of Christian Wood. While Wood clearly has his risks, his ceiling is sky high and the trade was largely considered a huge win for the Mavs front office.
If the Dallas Mavericks want to update their roster again this year they’re going to have to use the trade market to do it.
Today we sift through the trade rumors and buzz and identify a handful of players who could be on the trade block this season. We’ll discuss how they’d fit and how it’s even possible.
Trending. The Mavs family dynamics will serve them well later in the season. light
Dallas Mavericks trade option No. 1: Mike Conley Jr and co.
The Utah Jazz have made no secret of their intention to rebuild. Donovan Wilson is gone and the rest of the squad is effectively on the trade block. For most teams, Mike Conley Jr. headlines that Jazz list.
Mike Conley, 35, has always been on the Mavericks radar. The veteran point guard is a strong ball handler, distributer, and scorer. Playing on the second year of a three year deal he signed in prior to last, Conley is more than just a one-year rental and therefore will require a greater return with expiring contracts coming back.
Over the past two seasons, Conley has averaged 41% from deep and among the best in turnover to assist ratio. He’s a better than average parameter defender who could fit in Jason Kidd’s defensive scheme fairly easily.
The Dallas Mavericks have a need for added ball handlers now that Jalen Brunson is gone. While the bulk of the onus falls on Dinwiddie, the Mavs need a third to, at the very least, take some of the burden of creation off Luka Doncic.
Can the Mavs afford Conley? That will be a tough one but if they are willing to take on bad contracts and send picks and expiring deals in return, they could get this deal done (that will be a common theme, today).
If not Conley, then the Jazz have numerous other options available who could possibly interest the Mavs