Do Mavs Have Enough Trade Assets to Benefit From Bulls Dysfunction?
Despite having won their last two games, the Chicago Bulls are still just 13-18 on the season and sit just outside the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference standings. The dynamic between star teammates Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan hasn't been what it was supposed to be, and unless a major turnaround happens soon, big changes could be in store.
"Serious questions have arisen within the locker room about whether [the Bulls'] two star wings can click together at a high level on the court this season and beyond," The Athletic's Shams Charania reported earlier this week.
"The Bulls have held multiple team meetings trying to work out their issues, and that has included one-on-one, face-to-face sit-downs between DeRozan and LaVine, according to team and league sources who were granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly on team dynamics."
As we learned over the offseason, courtesy of a report from our guy Marc Stein, the Dallas Mavericks have some level of interest in LaVine, given that they were 'weighing the option' of potentially making a sign-and-trade offer for him before he signed his new deal with Chicago.
In all reality, the Mavs would probably have interest in a number of Bulls players should a roster blowup happen ... not just LaVine. DeRozan would be an excellent addition, and we've already written about an intriguing hypothetical Mavs-Bulls trade involving Goran Dragic and Andre Drummond. Do the Mavs have enough in the asset cupboard to pull off a significant trade, though?
Although the Mavs still owe the New York Knicks their 2023 first-round pick (which is top-10 protected), they could still, in theory, trade later first-round picks if needed ... just probably not enough to get their foot in the door for a star-level player. If Dallas can avoid being a bottom-10 team this season and let that 2023 pick convey to New York in the summer, they'll be in good shape again when it comes to picks they can trade.
When it comes to players, the Mavs have a handful of good role players that other contenders around the league would surely be open to adding to their rosters, but age could be becoming a factor with a handful of them.
Maxi Kleber, who will turn 31 years old in January, just underwent surgery on a torn hamstring and is likely out for the rest of the season. Dorian Finney-Smith, who will turn 30 in May, is battling an adductor strain and will miss his second consecutive game on Friday night when the Mavs take on the Houston Rockets. Both Kleber and Finney-Smith signed contract extensions this calendar year that will take them through the 2025-26 season.
Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dāvis Bertans – both 30 years old – can have their moments as streaky shooters, but they likely aren't worth $19 million and $16 million respectively to rival teams wanting to add shooting.
Christian Wood, Spencer Dinwiddie, Josh Green and Dwight Powell, who is on an expiring $11 million contract, probably have some positive trade value, but the potential return might not be worth trading them given the team's draft pick situation we talked about earlier.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly what the Mavs would be able to work out with the Bulls if a roster blowup does happen, but as is the case with a lot of NBA trades, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You never know how one team will value certain pieces in comparison to other teams. We'll see how the ongoing Chicago drama unfolds.
As the Mavs continue to monitor the trade market, the hope is that Luka Doncic and the rest of the ailing roster can get back on track with the schedule lightening up over the next few weeks. If the team can perform well and get healthy again, that will help their standing with potential trades as the February deadline gets closer.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Mavericks? Click Here.
