‘Can't Stagger the Swagger’: Should Mavs Stand Pat at NBA Trade Deadline?
The Dallas Mavericks are in a better place, both defensively and chemistry-wise, than they were last season. But while Dallas finds itself in a barrage of trade rumors and speculation involving Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith, perhaps the Mavs should stay quiet at the deadline to avoid any chemistry-destroying moves, like the infamous Rajon Rondo trade of 2014.
“It’s like a swag thing,” said Kristaps Porzingis, explaining the noticeable shift in the team's tone following the victory over the Memphis Grizzlies Sunday evening. “We have the same guys, but if you start to build something, it develops a little more sauce.”
Speaking of ‘sauce,’ the Mavs had quite the recipe cooking in the 2014-2015 season until the costly trade for Rondo happened. Before the Mavs dealt for the 2008 NBA champion, they were 19-8 with an astounding +8.5 net rating. Instead of continuing their success, the Mavs' front office, with backing from Dirk Nowitzki, figured Rondo would only raise their championship ceiling.
Instead, the opposite happened as the Mavs' offense stumbled, and Rondo provided a new meaning to "Playoff Rondo," with his teammates electing to dismiss him from the playoff bonus after his unprofessional performance in the first round against the Houston Rockets.
Unlike the 2014-15 Mavs, the current roster doesn't lack a legitimate superstar. Although lacking in some areas, Luka Doncic plays the equalizer on most nights, giving Dallas a fighter's chance against any team in the league. This alone provides the franchise with a legitimate reason why they should steer clear from breaking up the feel-good Mavs, given the current run they’re on.
The Mavs have won 11 of their last 13 games heading into tonight’s matchup with the Golden State Warriors. Dallas has had the league’s top-ranked defense since December 1, and it sits just 2.5 behind the fourth-seeded Utah Jazz.
The idea of adding a new piece or two by shipping off Mavs roster mainstays such as Finney-Smith can be enticing, especially considering that this roster has mostly stayed the same for the last three years. But maybe the grass isn't really greener, as the Mavs have found out the hard way before. Maybe that green is just dye.
"As long as we stick together,” says Porzingis, “I think we’ll be alright.”
With one of the more critical Mavs players believing that much in this roster, and Doncic being clearly more engaged on both sides of the ball this season, is breaking up such a jovial bunch worth the risk? That’s something general manager Nico Harrison will have to weigh carefully in the coming weeks.
