What's Mavs Trade Interest Level in Iguodala and Covington?
DALLAS - DallasBasketball.com has covered much of this ground before, regarding the trade-minded Dallas Mavericks' thoughts on Andre Iguodala and Robert Covington. But as the NBA trade deadline grows nearer ... the rumor mill grows louder.
Are these ideas truly still alive? Let's examine each:
IGGY to MAVS? We broke the story regarding a pursuit of the in-limbo Memphis Grizzlies veteran a few months ago. Dallas made an offer, as we reported exclusively on July 10. The concept at the time: The Mavs would shed themselves of Courtney Lee (and his 2019-20 salary of $12.759 million) while also giving up second-round pick to the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies have been unmoved so far, but the Mavs (suddenly a serious playoff contender wishing to give help to Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis) are in position to be a buyer.
Iguodala (in limbo there, employed but not really part of the team) in the Dallas starting lineup? Off the bench? Maybe there's a bigger question about what the Mavs need to do here, as pointed out by DBcom's Dalton Trigg:
That "second-round pick''? If it's the one that belongs to the Warriors in the 2020 NBA Draft may have too much value to use as a mere "sweetener.'' And maybe there is a better player (especially at his $17 mil price tag) to pursue than the 35-year-old Iggy?
COVINGTON to MAVS? Mavs owner Mark Cuban is always in search of that "Nuclear Winter'' addition - a player who may be a bit too pricy for a team going nowhere.
Covington signed a four year, $46.88 million contract with Philadelphia back in 2018. His deal will pay him $11.3 million this season, $12.14 million in 2020-2021, and just under $13 million in 2021-2022. Is that "too pricy''?
Surely not to Dallas. Is it of value to Minnesota? Entering this weekend, the Timberwolves are 15-22. Covington is a big, tough two-way wing who isn't "doing enough'' in Minny.
Covington is a career 36-percent shooter from deep - an area where the Mavs, especially in the clutch, are struggling.
Trigg (in this expansive look at Mavs trade concepts) suggests that as the Timberwolves don't currently have a point guard for the future, maybe Jalen Brunson is the fulcrum to get something done here.
Our belief? Between now and Feb. 6? The Dallas Mavericks will be working furiously to try to "get something done here.''
