Wild 3-team NBA trade idea between Mavericks, Warriors, Bulls solves a lot of issues

The NBA trade season is nearly here. A lot of the players who signed extensions or new deals with teams are eligible to be traded starting on December 15th, and teams now generally have a sense of what they need to improve if they want to contend, or let go of if they want a better draft pick.

Arguably, no team has more trade rumors swirling around it than the Dallas Mavericks. Yes, the Milwaukee Bucks have rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo, but we've already seen many rumors about the Mavericks possibly looking to trade Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, and D'Angelo Russell, and it could be more than that.

Dallas is stuck in the same situation they were in Luka Doncic's rookie season, where they have a clear star as a rookie surrounded by veterans that don't really fit his timeline or what he does best, but this time it's Cooper Flagg. Six years ago, they made a big trade to bring in Kristaps Porzingis; could they do something similar here?

The Ringer's Bill Simmons proposed a trade on a recent episode of his podcast that helps the Mavericks out a little bit, as they have a clear logjam in their frontcourt. He proposed a trade where the Mavericks send Daniel Gafford to the Golden State Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga to the Chicago Bulls, and the Bulls send Coby White to Dallas. Chicago would need to unload an extra $9.6 million, so they'd either have to add in additional salaries or send someone like Isaac Okoro to the Brooklyn Nets. It's tough to make the math work because of the tax aprons, but it is doable.

The Mavericks would also likely need to add some draft capital for this trade, as they're getting a good player in Coby White, who would need to be extended, while giving up a center who can't space the floor. Gafford is a good player, too, but he isn't as valuable as a lightning-quick guard.

Bill Simmons Trade Idea:

Bulls Get: Jonathan Kuminga

Mavs Get: Coby White

Warriors Get: Daniel Gafford + Expirings

“Coby White came back to Chicago and kind of screwed them up” pic.twitter.com/1BemgO8gns
— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@Bullsfans) December 9, 2025

Why This Trade Makes Sense For All Teams

There are a lot of reasons this trade could make sense for all parties. For the Mavericks, they'd get a guard who can play alongside Kyrie Irving when healthy, or lead the offense when he's out, while clearing up the deep frontcourt.

Golden State clearly has no desire to keep Jonathan Kuminga long-term. They keep messing around with his playing time, and Steve Kerr just doesn't like what Kuminga does well. There were some rumors about a sign-and-trade with the Bulls this offseason that never materialized, but it's likely they'd want to spin that block again. And in this instance, they'd get someone in Daniel Gafford who could really help a team that has no playable size while clearing out about $8 million in tax.

And Chicago just paid Josh Giddey a lot of money; would they really do the same for Coby White? It seems unlikely, and White is on an expiring contract. They may as well get something for him, like a shot at a talented young player in Kuminga. This would also help clear their books a little for next season, so they could extend Kuminga.

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