'Shocked' Cuban: How Mavs' Porzingis Trade Mirrored Harden Trade

The Knicks may have traded Porzingis away but that is not in the plan in Dallas, where the Mavs feel they made a Harden-like move

DALLAS - Stunned, surprised, shocked… Choose your adjective … But that is how owner Mark Cuban felt when the Dallas Mavericks acquired then-New York Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis.

Cuban compared the Porzingis trade to the bold trade of Oklahoma City Thunder star James Harden to the Houston Rockets.

“Very (shocked). It happens in the NBA,” Mark Cuban said on WFAN's Moose & Maggie. “It’s like the James Harden trade. James Harden got traded from OKC to the Rockets and I’m like, ‘Damn, why didn’t we get that offered to us? Just one phone call and the Rockets said, ‘Yes.’ 

"And this was our phone call.”

Harden dazzled in Houston and Porzingis found his home in Dallas, too. Before the NBA postponed the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Unicorn was having the best season of his career. The 24-year-old is averaging 19.2 points and 9.5 rebounds in 51 games for the Mavs.

While it is usually the Mavs offense taking center stage, Porzingis’ defense shined to help Dallas become No. 2 in the league in rim-protection defense. The Mavs have had defenders before. And they've had bigs before. But nobody quite like this ...

Coach Rick Carlisle said this of the 7-foot-3 center:

“What he’s doing defensively and on the boards, no one’s talking about it, But he should be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate based on his versatility defensively – he can switch onto smaller guys, he blocks a ton of shots, he changes a ton of shots, he’s a great defensive rebounder.”

Porzingis and Luka Doncic’s growing synergy provides major optimism for the duo. ... A rhythm and connection that Cuban vows never to break up. The Knicks may have traded Porzingis away in a "shocking'' way. But the next step for Dallas? Keep building ... and maybe do some more "shocking.''