The Dallas Mavericks are continuing to pursue New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones to be the final piece in their bid for championship contention, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
“The Mavericks are known to have a strong interest in the Pelicans’ Herb Jones, but New Orleans has been consistently discouraging trade interest in its perimeter defensive ace.”
This is an interesting rumor that has been reported on by many trusted reporters, including The Athletic’s Christian Clark. Jones seems like a perfect fit on the Mavericks, likely taking Klay Thompson’s starting spot and functioning as the team’s primary perimeter defender, one of the major flaws on the roster right now.
Jones is averaging 10.3 points and 1.9 steals this season but recently suffered a torn labrum which is expected to sideline him for the rest of the regular season. If the Mavericks end up acquiring Jones, it likely will lead to the forward sitting out for most of the season and effectively being acquired to bolster the team next season.
The forward made an All-Defense First Team appearance last season and is on an affordable contract until 2027, so the Pelicans will not let him go for cheap. The Mavericks will likely have to part with standout center Daniel Gafford along with additional assets. Those assets might include the summer acquisition of Quentin Grimes, who’s having a breakout season in Dallas.
Losing Gafford and Grimes from the rotation this season for an injured Jones will deal a massive blow to the Mavericks’ hopes of returning to the NBA Finals in the 2025 Playoffs. However, it makes them look fierce in the future with a complete roster with players like PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, Dereck Lively II, and Jaden Hardy potentially developing into better players.
They’ll risk stagnation or regression from older stars such as Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, but the roster seems well-equipped to compete for years with almost everyone on multi-year contracts except Irving, who has a player option for next season. Luka Doncic is also entering the final year of his contract next season, but will likely extend on a supermax in the summer.
Mavericks Not Shopping Daniel Gafford
There have been rumors that the Mavericks are fielding offers for Daniel Gafford, who joined the team last season and has formed one of the league’s most effective center rotations alongside Daniel Gafford. Despite the rumors about Gafford being on the market, Stein insists that the Mavericks aren’t looking to trade him.
“Yet The Stein Line has been advised that it is a misnomer to suggest that Dallas is shopping center Daniel Gafford — one of two key arrivals at last February’s deadline alongside P.J. Washington — to get that wing defender.”
It’s a fair assumption that in a deal for Jones, Gafford would be the first asset on the board. The Pelicans have a hole at the center to address if they want to be competitive next season, with Gafford averaging 11.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks this season.
Lively has been among the list of Mavericks to miss time this season due to injury, so Gafford’s presence is even more crucial, especially with third-string centers Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell not being effective options for a championship team.
Trading Gafford for Jones is still a possibility given the quality upgrade Jones can provide as the only elite defender on the Mavs, as compared to the Mavs having to increase the load on Lively to compensate for Gafford’s departure.
Given Jones’ labrum injury, a title push will be postponed to next season with Dallas reinforcing their backup center in the summer.
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