Why The Dallas Mavericks Do This Trade
The Dallas Mavericks did a good job adding complementary pieces to their roster this offseason. Sterling Brown and Reggie Bullock fill specific needs as 3-and-D players. They will help turn around a defense that has worsened for six straight seasons.
But, the No. 1 goal the Mavericks had coming into the offseason was finding that secondary ball-handler to play alongside Luka Doncic. That, they did not accomplish.
Dallas was hoping to have Goran Dragic re-routed to them after he was involved in the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade deal between the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors. But, they do not want to trade for Dragic, instead, they are hoping he is bought out.
That won’t happen, which will result in them pivoting and acquiring CJ McCollum from the Portland Trail Blazers after the restrictions are lifted on the players involved. McCollum is everything that the Mavericks are looking for as a sidekick to Doncic.
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He is a strong ball-handler and someone that can run the offense when need be. McCollum excelled in a similar role, playing alongside Damian Lillard, and would continue his strong play alongside Doncic. Having another consistent offensive threat, as McCollum is a true three-level scorer and coming off of a career-high 23.1 points per game, would be beneficial for Dallas as well.
Dallas is happy with this trade, but how does Portland feel about it? Let’s take a look at it from their perspective.
