Mavs Trade Idea: Could Dallas Add Hawks' De'Andre Hunter?

The Dallas Mavericks face a busy offseason that involves limiting assets to work with and a lot of priorities to address. Kyrie Irving's impending free agency will command the most attention, but defensive improvement will also be a clear focus.

"I think for us going into the offseason, the two biggest things that we need to work on is defense and rebounding," Mavs general manager Nico Harrison said during his exit interview. "That's going to be addressed."

While adding a rim protector would help the Mavs' defense, they also need to find an option on the wing that can embrace taking on the more difficult assignments. Dorian Finney-Smith took on this responsibility, but he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets before the Feb. 9 deadline in part of the deal to acquire Irving.

In a hypothetical trade scenario crafted by NBA Analysis Network, the Mavs would acquire De'Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Maxi Kleber, JaVale McGee and a 2027 First-Round Pick (DAL). Something to consider, he is under the poison pill provision until July 1.

Hunter had a productive regular season, averaging 15.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 31.7 minutes per game. He shot 46.1 percent from the floor and 35.1 percent from 3-point range. He stands at 6-foot-8 and weighs 221 pounds, so he would certainly make Dallas bigger on the wing alongside Luka Doncic.

While Hunter is a productive player, the Hawks could benefit from offloading his four-year, $90 million contract that he is set to begin in 2023-24. Atlanta has a massive amount of salary already on the books for next season and will need to be careful with their obligations for the next few seasons as players like Dejounte Murray need new deals.

Assuming the Mavs do hang onto their top-10 protected 2023 first-round pick, the only other first-round pick they can trade this offseason would be their 2027 selection. A deal that addresses the wing spot while moving Bertans' contract would check a lot of boxes for Dallas.

Kleber has been an important part of the Mavs' roster calculus with his combination of floor spacing and defensive versatility. The 31-year-old was sidelined and impacted by a torn hamstring this season and is set to begin three-year, $33 million contract during the upcoming league year.

McGee's inclusion would be purely financial since there is a significant discrepancy in salary for Hunter and Kleber. The Mavs would still need to address other needs with the contacts of Davis Bertans, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Reggie Bullock as the main mechanisms for salary matching in other trades.

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

Follow DallasBasketball.com on Twitter and Facebook.

Follow Grant Afseth on Twitter.