With Victor Oladipo and Kristaps Porzingis, the Dallas Mavericks have plenty of reason to feel optimistic about their future. This season, however, there is an undeniable sense of panic, as they stand just 8-9 through the first 17 games.
With a 10th place standing in the West, the Mavs will have to turn things around quickly if they want to salvage what’s left of this shortened season.
In an interesting proposal by Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, the Mavs could make a trade for two-way swingman Victor Oladipo as a way to maximize their chance for success…
Dallas has been third-star hunting for a while, and its balanced books open the door to a major expenditure in 2021 free agency. But what if the Mavs could make their splash before then? And what if this cannon-ball addition did nothing to disrupt their financial flexibility?
That option is on the table in the form of Victor Oladipo, a free-agent-to-be who’s getting his numbers back to near his pre-injury level (20.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.8 steals). Get him on the Mavericks, and he’d simultaneously fill support scoring, secondary shot-creating and point-of-attack-defense voids.
The deal would have Dallas giving up Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green, and a 2025 first-round pick.
It’s a great haul for the Rockets, who get several solid players and a pick. The Mavericks, meanwhile, would get another star to pair alongside Luka and Kristaps.
The 28-year-old guard has an extensive injury history, but is a selfless player who contributes on both sides of the floor. This season, he averaged 20.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.
