The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 2 p.m., and many organizations around the league are expected to continue making moves to improve their teams.
The days leading into this year’s trade deadline have been some of the most eventful in recent years, as multiple All-Star caliber players have been sent to different franchises for a plethora of reasons.
Dallas kicked off the trade deadline moves with one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, sending superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a future first-round pick.
The Mavericks also sent guard Quentin Grimes and a second-round pick to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for forward Caleb Martin, who is expected to play an immediate role on the team.
Other significant moves made by teams around the league include the San Antonio Spurs acquiring guard DeAaron Fox and the Golden State Warriors acquiring forward Jimmy Butler.
The most recent notable move came from the Lakers, who made yet another trade, sending forward Dalton Knecht and draft compensation to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for center Mark Williams.
Although Dallas has already dealt with Dončić and Grimes in separate moves, the organization could still look to add pieces to help this team compete for a championship this season.
Dallas’ biggest need heading into the final portion of the season is acquiring a secondary ball handler to help support Kyrie Irving in running the offense.
Dinwiddie has proven to be a solid contributor off the bench this season. Still, the Mavericks need to find another playmaker to truly compete at the highest level in the Western Conference.
With Dallas’ limited resources, the trade market does not offer many options, but two players stand out as potential options for the Mavericks.
The ideal option available is New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, who could be moved as the team looks to shed expensive contracts after a difficult season.
New Orleans is currently last in the Western Conference standings and traded forward Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors, signaling that the organization could look to begin a full rebuild and trade away older players.
McCollum is averaging an impressive 22.1 points while shooting 37.3% from the three-point line and would become an immediate impact player for the Mavericks this season.
The veteran guard struggles at times on the defensive side of the ball, but the length and athleticism of the Mavericks’ wings could limit many of these issues.
The difficult part of this trade is McCollum’s $33 million salary, as Dallas would likely have to include multiple players and a draft pick to acquire him from New Orleans.
The Mavericks’ more realistic option is to acquire Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones. Jones has spent the majority of the season with the Spurs and was moved to Chicago in the trade for Fox.
Jones played just 16.1 minutes per game for San Antonio this season but has shown in the past that he can be a team’s main ball handler, averaging 6.1 assists and only 1.5 turnovers per game during the 2023-24 season.
Another important aspect about Jones is that he is under contract for just $9 million this season, meaning Dallas could likely acquire him for just one player and a few second-round draft picks.
Dallas making a trade would be incredibly beneficial for a team looking to compete for a championship immediately; however, the Mavericks could also look to pick up pieces later in the season when players are bought out by their current teams.