Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Dallas Mavericks 

After entering the season with high hopes to be one of the better teams in the West, the Mavericks have turned into the “Luka Doncic Show.” He literally does everything for this team and with Kristaps Porzingis back, the Mavs have looked a little better, but everything still revolves around Luka. 

If he has a bad game, the Mavericks lose, but if he puts together a near triple-double performance like we are accustomed to seeing, then Dallas is always in their games and has a chance to win. This philosophy is not going to win the Mavs a lot of games this year and if they truly want to contend in the Western Conference, they have to be willing to make a big move at this season’s NBA trade deadline. 

While it does not seem like Russell Westbrook would be a good fit with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, Doncic could actually benefit a lot by not having the ball in his hands 24/7. Yes, Westbrook is a very ball-dominant player and selfish at times, but he is also one of the better assist-men in the league and could open up the court for Luka Doncic. 

Dallas currently ranks 23rd in the league in scoring and 29th in rebounding, so taking a chance on a guy like Westbrook who can help them in both of these categories could be beneficial for them as they look to make it back to the playoffs this season. 

The thing with the Western Conference is that if you do not have a lot of talent, you will not make the playoffs. Right now, 14 of the 15 teams in the Western Conference can make a legit case for being a playoff team, the Mavericks being one of them.

Nothing sets them apart from these 13 other teams, besides having Luka Doncic, which is why Dallas has to be willing to make a big move at the NBA trade deadline. Acquiring Russell Westbrook would not only give the Mavs three All-Star level players, but a chance to contend in the playoffs this year with the best of the best.