After the Mavericks reached the 2021-22 Western Conference Finals, fans were left disappointed when the team didn't even make the NBA playoffs this past season.
The disappointing result forced general manager Nico Harrison to go out and bolster the team this offseason. Now, the Dallas faithful are left hoping that newcomers like Grant Williams, Richaun Holmes, and Dereck Lively II can help take the Mavs to the next level.
Even if the Mavericks have all the confidence in the world in their current roster, things can change quickly. All it takes is a player slumping or the right deal to come along to shake up the roster at any point during the 2023-24 campaign.
Keeping that in mind, here's a look at three Mavericks who won't be in Dallas by the end of the upcoming NBA season.
Mavericks Trade Candidates
1. JaVale McGee
It's more than likely that JaVale McGee has already played his last game in a Mavericks jersey.
Former team Director of Basketball Development Brian Dameris told ESPN's Tim McMahon in July that the veteran center isn't a part of the team's future. If the Mavericks can't trade McGee by training camp, he'll more than likely be waived.
A probable divorce isn't too surprising, though. The Mavs are talent-rich when it comes to big men, already boasting names like Williams, Lively, Holmes, Dwight Powell, and Maxi Kleber.
On top of that, McGee has a player option next offseason that's worst just over $6 million (Spotrac).
He'll likely pick up that option since he's unlikely to get more on the open market. Regardless of how you slice it, the Mavs can't afford to give that much money to a player who only averaged 8.5 minutes per game in 2022-23.
Moving on from McGee not prevents a log jam at his position, but also frees up space for the Mavericks to make a few more much-needed improvements.
2. Tim Hardaway Jr.
Tim Hardaway Jr. has been a prominent part of the Mavericks for the last 4.5 seasons. However, the latest rumors surrounding him point to his tenure potentially coming to an end soon.
On July 31, The Athletic's Tim Cato reported that he sees the Mavericks moving Hardaway by the end of the upcoming campaign. They added Seth Curry this offseason and would like to give more minutes to 21-year-old Jaden Hardy, making the 31-year-old shooting guard expendable.
It also helps that moving on from Hardaway would not only free up a ton of cap space this season but also next year. He carries an annual average value of just north of $17 million over the next two seasons, which is a ton of money that can be used elsewhere.
As great as Hardaway was before, he's no longer worth the above price. While his three-point percentage was solid (38.5%), he only averaged 14.4 points while shooting 40.1% from the floor.
Assuming that Curry remains consistent and Hardy takes a bit step forward, it's clear that Hardaway doesn't fit into Dallas' plans for much longer.
3. Richaun Holmes
I know exactly what you're thinking: why would the Mavericks trade Richaun Holmes after acquiring him this summer?
Well, it all depends on how Holmes begins the season. Once a rotational player in Sacramento, he fell out of favor with the Kings to the point where he only started one of 42 games while only averaging 8.3 minutes per outing last season.
The Kings' current system wasn't a great fit for Holmes, who hopes to mesh well with playmakers like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving feeding him in the post. While playing in Dallas is a better situation for the 29-year-old on paper, there's no guarantee that he'll bounce back.
After all, Holmes' 13.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per 36 minutes in 2022-23 were the worst marks since his rookie campaign. He's also not the best paint defender due to his only being 6-foot-10.
If the former Bowling Green product can't figure out his game, the Mavericks could look to move him. He's on the books for a $12.8 million player option in the offseason (Spotrac), which is too much money for a player who didn't even average 10 minutes per game last year.
Again, with the frontcourt depth that the Mavericks possess, moving on from Holmes at some point isn't that farfetched of an idea.
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