Potential Veteran Guard Trade Targets for Mavs

The 2021-22 NBA season was a successful one for the Dallas Mavericks. Despite getting off to a slow start, they rallied significantly and made a run to the Western Conference Finals.

Following the free agency departure of Jalen Brunson, the Mavericks plan to start Spencer Dinwiddie alongside Luka Doncic in the backcourt. As for the bench group, Frank Ntilikina appears primed to play a key role.

In a conversation with NBA Analysis Network, one league executive explained how the Mavericks could still benefit from acquiring another veteran guard before the upcoming season.

“Dinwiddie is going to start next to Luka, but there’s a hole in that bench backcourt now. … If the plan is for Luka and Dinwiddie to play a ton of minutes and stagger them, there’s still a big risk for that being a problem with injuries," the executive said. "Let’s say Luka rolls his ankle and misses two or three weeks, what happens then? Is Jaden Hardy going to step in and be the answer? I think they need a veteran in there to be that third guard.”

While Ntilikina has developed into being an efficient catch-and-shoot threat, he struggles to produce in most situations that require dribbling, shot creation, or playmaking. Essentially, he's more of a 3-and-D guard than an initiator.

With it being late in the offseason, the options are bleak for the Mavericks to acquire another creation threat in the backcourt. Names like Mike Conley and Derrick Rose were highlighted if they can get in as a third or fourth team in a trade that sends Donovan Mitchell to the New York Knicks.

“The options aren’t great late in the offseason," the executive explained. "Collin Sexton is out there, but the Cavs aren’t a clean trade partner for Dallas. If they could get in the Donovan Mitchell trade mix as a third or fourth team to get a veteran like Mike Conley or Derrick Rose, I’d like that for them.”

The Mavericks would have to weigh the pros and cons of trading for an older guard on an unfavorable contract to move forward with taking on either Conley or Rose. They already have to account for the deals that Davis Bertans and Tim Hardaway Jr. are signed for the near future.

You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Mavericks? Click Here.

Follow DallasBasketball.com on Twitter.

Follow DallasBasketball.com on Facebook.