The Dallas Mavericks surprised the NBA world last season when they advanced to the Western Conference Finals, but the Mavs’ success has not translated into their 2022-23 campaign. Losing Jalen Brunson has been predictably painful, with Luka Doncic lacking the necessary help as others struggle alongside him, even though Christian Wood is putting up solid numbers. Dallas is just 15-15 on the season, and many are wondering if the front office will do anything ahead of the 2023 NBA trade deadline to help out Doncic.
The basic formula is to surround Doncic with a plethora of shooters, but the Mavs’ shooters have not been consistent this season. Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, and Reggie Bullock have all had their share of struggles, while Maxi Kleber is now set to miss extended time with an injury.
So, just what might Dallas do in the coming months? Let’s make some Mavs trade deadline predictions.
Will execute a 2-for-1 trade to help Luka
The Mavs are paying nine individuals at least $9 million, which is why their payroll is skyrocketing despite only having one superstar on their roster. As the trade deadline approaches, Dallas’ front office must prioritize swinging a lopsided deal to bolster the lineup.
Kleber will be out for an indefinite period because of a hamstring tear, while Dwight Powell and Davis Bertans rarely receive a substantial amount of minutes despite making eight figures annually. Hardaway is making nearly $20 million and has been a disappointment, with Finney-Smith and Bullock in a similar boat, albeit on slightly smaller salaries. The JaVale McGee signing has simply not worked out at all, although he’s making just slightly over $5 million this season.
Any sort of help such as a consistent and athletic big or a secondary playmaker would help the Mavs, although they could also think bigger if they want to add more star power next to Doncic. They could look to combine a few of these role players and draft picks into a big trade package, or perhaps they just try to find a more consistent role player.
One popular idea is targeting Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine if the Bulls decide to blow things up, although there’s no evidence they’re looking to do that just yet despite an 11-17 record. Still, the Mavs should monitor the situation in Chicago, with DeMar DeRozan perhaps being an option as well.
Christian Wood will gain the most interest, but Mavs will not budge
The Christian Wood acquisition was a good idea for Dallas. The Mavs did not need to let go of any key rotational pieces to add a talented big man in Wood who pairs well offensively with Doncic.
At 27 years old on the final year of his deal, the Mavs may want to keep Wood in the offseason, but he will need more reps for Dallas to assess his capabilities. Wood is one of the legitimate candidates for Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 17.2 points and 7.8 rebounds on a 63.7 TS%, so it is a given that he is a terrific contributor on the offensive end.
The problem with Wood is playing him at the 5 and forcing him to anchor the paint and guard the likes of Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic, and other star bigs. Wood still has difficulty imposing his will in the paint and maximizing his athleticism at the defensive end of the floor.
Wood is ranked 167th in Defensive Win Shares among all the players in the NBA, which does not cut it out for him. That is one primary reason why Jason Kidd is likely to use Powell or McGee for some stretches, so Wood will need to improve his defense.
Perhaps other teams come calling on Wood ahead of the trade deadline, but Dallas should stay the course with him and try to make other additions to the roster.
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