Why Dallas Mavericks Do This Trade
The Dallas Mavericks have to do something with Kristaps Porzinigs. If they do not believe that they can get him back on track as the star running mate they thought he would be for Luka Doncic, they have to do everything they can to trade him.
They will be hard-pressed to get much in the way of value back for him, but clearing his huge salary off their books would be positive enough. In this deal with the Washington Wizards, they do exactly that.
While Davis Bertans, Thomas Bryant, and Isaiah Todd aren’t stars right now, they present a solid trio to acquire for Porzingis. Bertans can step right into his role as the floor-stretching power forward.
He does it excellently, knocking down 40.7 percent of his 3-point attempts in his career and 39.5 percent last season. His 3-point shooting is better than Porzingis’s, but Bertans offers very little else.
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Bertans is also under contract a year longer than Porzingis with four years and $65 million remaining on his deal. But $54 million of that is guaranteed and those numbers are much more palatable than the contract Porzingis has.
Bryant was a solid floor-stretching five with two-way potential. He tore his ACL in January but is expected back early in the 2021-22 season. He gives Dallas a diverse skill set for their frontcourt as another floor-spacer. He can also help replace some of the rim protection they are losing from Porzingis’s departure. His contract expires after this season, giving Dallas some salary relief.
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Todd has immense potential and is someone that the Mavericks could develop over time. He played relatively well for the G League Ignite last season, averaging 12.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 24.4 minutes per game.
Moving on from Porzingis is something Dallas would be very open to, and this would be a solid deal for them. They would have more cap flexibility going forward, giving them another chance to add a difference-maker alongside Doncic.
