Report: Mavs Made '11th Hour' Push For Caris LeVert Trade
A fair amount of action leading up to the NBA trade deadline has already unfolded. Between names like Domantas Sabonis, CJ McCollum, and Tyrese Haliburton, there have been some sizeable moves already made. The Dallas Mavericks have not yet completed a trade, however.
With Tim Hardaway Jr. sidelined for likely the remainder of the 2021-22 season, there is a void the Mavericks could look to add depth in their backcourt rotation.
As reported by Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer on Halftime App, the Mavericks were 'in at the 11th hour' in pursuit of a trade with the Indiana Pacers to acquire Caris LeVert. The Cleveland Cavaliers ended up getting a deal done—sending Ricky Rubio's expiring contract, a 2022 first-round pick and two second-round picks.
Fischer reported the Mavericks offered a combination of Hardaway Jr. and a pick to the Pacers. For Indiana, while making the playoffs is seemingly out of the question at this point with how deep of a hole they've dug themselves in the standings, the long-term outlook of acquiring Hardaway Jr.'s contract was likely unappealing.
Hardaway Jr. experienced the greatest success in his NBA career when playing under former Mavericks and current Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. A trade for LeVert would have reunited the two.
The Pacers ended up making a splash move landing Domantas Sabonis with the Sacramento Kings—netting Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield as the key pieces of the return. Acquiring an expiring deal for LeVert made taking on an unfavorable contract like Hield a possibility.
With the focus being to note trade Dorian Finney-Smith or Jalen Brunson at the trade deadline, the Mavericks face real limitations in what they can offer. Dallas still has the near $10.9 million trade exception created by the Josh Richardson trade with the Boston Celtics they can use, but can't offer a first-round pick until 2025.
