Mavs NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Top 10 Targets
With just three days until the NBA trade deadline final buzzer sounds off, the Dallas Mavericks are working the phones in search of roster upgrades.
Many opposing teams have reportedly been asking about soon-to-be unrestricted free agents Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith, but Mavs owner Mark Cuban has made it known that those two likely won’t be going anywhere.
"We have to continue to grow as a team," Cuban tells DallasBasketball.com when asked about what is needed for his team take the next step towards title contention. "Our defense is there. Now we need to get there offensively. … We will do all we can to keep (both Jalen Brunson) and Dorian (Finney-Smith),”
With that in mind, here are 10 realistic trade deadline targets for the Mavs to pursue in the coming days.
Buddy Hield, G, Kings
For a team that's in need of offensive help due to Tim Hardaway Jr.'s foot injury - although red-hot Reggie Bullock has stepped up his game since Hardaway Jr. went down - Hield would be a near-perfect fit in Dallas.
Like Hardaway Jr., Hield has had a down year from his usual sharpshooting standards, but he's still averaging 14 points per game and shooting 38 percent from deep this season. Hield’s defense is lacking, but the Mavs have been so good defensively this season that it might not matter much.
With the Kings reportedly considering shuffling the deck on a roster that continues to get them nowhere, the Mavs could have a legitimate chance to swoop in and grab Hield if they want him… and why wouldn’t they want a 40 percent career three-point shooter?
Myles Turner, C, Pacers
Turner's name has come up in Mavs trade rumors for years, and this year has certainly been no exception. Dallas did have interest in Turner at one point, but reportedly backed off in recent weeks.
That loss of interest could be more due to the Pacers' asking price for Turner instead of the foot injury he's currently dealing with. Asking for two first-round picks for Turner was already a stretch before the foot injury. Now, though, perhaps the Mavs negotiate something more reasonable to get Turner to Dallas.
CJ McCollum, G, Blazers
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The LA Clippers seized the opportunity to acquire Norman Powell and Robert Covington from the Portland Trail Blazers given their desire to clear salary cap room and opportunity for Anfernee Simons, who is in the midst of a breakout season.
Could the next big move for the Blazers be trading away CJ McCollum?
"Several teams, including the New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, and others, are expected to have interest in trading for McCollum, who is owed $69.13 million over the next two seasons," writes HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
Click here to see how the Mavs and Blazers can help each other out in two separate trades before Thursday’s deadline.
Jerami Grant, F, Pistons
For a while now, we've written at DallasBasketball.com about how a Dallas Mavericks trade for Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant could make sense for all parties involved, especially if the Los Angeles Lakers' offer for Grant is the best one Detroit has gotten.
According to a report by Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus, the Mavericks are officially a team to watch as a Grant suitor.
"One dark-horse team mentioned was being interested in Grant was the Dallas Mavericks," said Pincus. "With Dorian Finney-Smith and Dwight Powell a the primary pieces."
As we wrote in our initial trade proposal, Grant is no longer the Pistons' primary focus going forward since drafting rookie guard Cade Cunningham. And to be fair, Grant wouldn't be the primary focus in Dallas either, given that Luka Doncic is the bonafide No. 1 option, but he could very likely be the team's second-best scorer behind Doncic and a piece that elevates the Mavs from a decent playoff contender to a legit title contender.
Cedi Osman, F, Cavs
Although the Cavs will likely look to be buyers instead of sellers at this year's trade deadline, Cedi Osman is a player that could potentially be moved. After starting in a handful of games for Cleveland over the previous three seasons, Osman has primarily come off the bench this season, where he's averaging 11 points per game and shooting 36 percent from deep.
According to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, the Mavs are one of the handful of teams showing interest in Osman as the deadline approaches. Does adding Caris LeVert making Osman more expendable now for the Cavs?
Marvin Bagley III, F, Kings
If Vlade Divac was still in charge in Sacramento, we're not so sure we would even be writing about this option, because it's hard to see the guy who passed up Luka Doncic for Marvin Bagley in the 2018 NBA Draft trading him to team up with Doncic. But now, there is a good chance that the Kings are going to finally blow things up with their current roster. Bagley is averaging 9.3 points and 7.2 rebounds in 21.9 minutes per game for the Kings. He's shooting 46.3 percent from the field.
Bagley hasn't lived up to expectations after being the second overall selection in 2018, and it might be time for a change of scenery for the soon-to-be free agent. The fact that he's due for a new contract is reason to believe the trade price for Bagley isn't going to be too steep. Maybe the Mavs can work up a deal that involves both Bagley and Hield, who was mentioned above.
Mo Bamba, C, Magic
Mo Bamba was a name that was connected to the Mavs quite a bit during the 2018 pre-draft process. Many believed Dallas would've selected Bamba with the fifth-overall pick that year if it hadn't been able to trade up for Doncic. Like Bagley, though, Bamba just hasn't been able to live up to the hype despite having a solid 2021-2022 campaign for Orlando in his fourth season. Bamba is averaging 10.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in just 27 minutes per game for the Magic. He's also shooting 47 percent from the field and 35 percent from deep.
If the Hawks were able to get a first-round pick for Cam Reddish, then surely the Magic would be able to get that for Bamba as well. Do the Mavs want to spend another first-round pick on a move like this? Perhaps not, but Bamba appears to be blooming late, so it might be a risk worth taking for Dallas.
Gary Harris, G, Magic
Staying on theme with Orlando Magic players, Gary Harris could potentially make some sense for Dallas to pursue via trade. Harris is averaging 11.6 points in nearly 30 minutes per game for Orlando while shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from deep. He's also on an expiring $20 million contract.
Would Orlando potentially be open to a trade for Tim Hardaway Jr., who has a great relationship with Jamahl Mosley? If Dallas wants to get off of Hardaway Jr.'s contract, which decreases in value each season, this might be a trade option worth looking at. It would likely take more than just a straight-up swap to get it done, but if the Mavs want to keep both Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith long term without encountering luxury tax issues, shedding future guaranteed contracts of guys like Hardaway Jr. and Dwight Powell will be needed.
Jeremy Lamb, G, Pacers
Like Hardaway Jr., Jeremy Lamb has had a rough go of things this season, as he's only averaging 7.3 points in 15.7 minutes per game for the Pacers while shooting 37.7 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from deep. For context, Lamb shot 43.5 percent from the field last season and 40.6 percent from deep. As is the case with a number of players on this particular list, a change of scenery could be a good thing for Lamb, and his $10.5 million expiring contract fits cozily into the Mavs' $10.9 million T.P.E.
John Collins, F, Hawks
The Mavs have been linked to Collins all trade season, and that trend continued on Sunday.
According to Matt Moore from the Action Network, the Mavs have shifted their main focus to looking for a stretch-four to pair with Kristaps Porzingis, who has been much better defensively this season than he was last year. Moore also says that Dallas has "re-entered the talks for Collins and have made calls about [Toronto Raptors forward] Siakam."
Collins would be an excellent addition to the Mavs, and on paper, it seems as if he would be a really good with Kristaps Porzingis in the front court. Collins running pick-and-rolls and pick-and-pops with Luka Doncic would be a thing of beauty. Perhaps the Mavs can work something out with the Hawks before the trade deadline buzzer.
