Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Big Trade Plans: Could Celtics' Jaylen Brown Be Mavs' Next Target?
Although some might not be satisfied with what the Dallas Mavericks did over the offseason, the hard truth is that they didn't have the flexibility with draft capital to do anything on a blockbuster-type level.
Sure, trading for Christian Wood in exchange for cents on the dollar was good, but the move doesn't come without questions. Can he be good enough to take Jalen Brunson's place as Luka Doncic's sidekick? Given that he's on an expiring contract, will he even be on the roster after this season?
If the Mavs want to add a true secondary star player next to Doncic with little-to-no question marks, next summer will be their first real chance to do so since the Kristaps Porzingis trade in 2019. Assuming the unthinkable doesn't happen this season that enables the Mavs to pick in the top 10 of the 2023 NBA Draft, the final pick from that Porzingis trade will convey to the New York Knicks ... and then the fun can begin.
Although a handful of names could surface in trade rumors next summer, one potential target the Mavs need to keep an eye on is Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, who averaged 23.6 points, 6.1 assists and 3.5 assists per game last season while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from deep.
The 6-6 guard/small forward is about to turn 26 years old, and barring a contract extension between now and next year, he'll be on an expiring contract during the 2023-24 season.
Brown has proven that he can be a perfect secondary star, as he helped Jayson Tatum and the Celtics advance to the NBA Finals last season before ultimately falling to the Golden state Warriors. A two-way player of Brown's caliber would be a perfect fit next to Doncic in Dallas. If things sour between Brown and the Celtics, the Mavs should consider throwing a massive pick package at Boston after the 2023 draft. Here's what we think that package could look like:
Mavs receive: Jaylen Brown
Celtics receive: Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, Josh Green, Jaden Hardy, 2025 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick and pick swaps in 2026 and 2028
Earlier this summer, when Brown was connected to Kevin Durant trade rumors, he subtly made it known how he felt about the noise on his twitter account.
Brown is in a great situation in Boston, but as the Mavs found out firsthand with Brunson, that can all change in a hurry once a player makes up his mind that he wants a change of scenery. Brown hasn't gotten to that point yet, but when/if he does, Mavs GM Nico Harrison needs to be ready to pounce.
As Mavs' radio play-by-play announcer Chuck Cooperstein speculated on our latest episode of the Mavs Step Back Podcast, the next "big" trade for Dallas is likely to make the Porzingis trade from three years ago not seem like such a big deal ... and that's an interesting thing to think about as we move closer to the 2023 offseason.
You can follow Dalton Trigg on Twitter at @dalton_trigg
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