The Dallas Mavericks have had an up and down offseason so far. They kicked off the summer by trading for former Houston Rockets big man, Christian Wood. The deal was lauded as the Mavs swung for the fences with a low-risk, high-reward move that will pair superstar Luka Doncic with perhaps the best frontcourt talent he’s played with in his NBA career thus far.
They followed that trade up with a pretty impressive 2022 NBA Draft. Despite coming into the night without a first-round pick, the Mavs may have exited with the biggest steal by selecting G-League Ignite guard, Jaden Hardy, in the second round. Hardy struggled with his efficiency playing against professionals, but his blue-chip pedigree and the flashes of immense talent he showed gave him a first-round grade for most draft pundits.
Hardy’s acquisition would go on to prove even more impactful than initially expected. With Luka, Jalen Brunson, and Spencer Dinwiddie already on the roster, Hardy seemed like a luxury pick up for the backcourt, but with the 37th-overall pick, he was still too good of a value to pass up on.
It turned out, though, that the Mavericks would be swapping Brunson for Hardy in their backcourt rotation, as the former Villanova Wildcat agreed to a deal with the New York Knicks before the free agency period had even officially begun.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Cleveland Cavaliers Not Intrigued By Dallas Mavericks’ Assets For Collin Sexton?
Brunson last season had grown to become Luka Doncic’s right-hand man, a perfect complement in the backcourt with his ability to create for himself and others off of the dribble. His ascension proved imperative for the Mavs’ success in the second half of the 2021-2022 regular season after trading away Kristaps Porzingis and for their impressive playoff run that included an upset of the first-overall seed Phoenix Suns to secure a Western Conference Finals appearance.
Make no mistake, losing Brunson in free agency will be a significant step backward for the Mavericks, even with his heir apparent in Hardy and Christian Wood on board. But the offseason isn’t over yet, and General Manager Nico Harrison still has plenty of opportunities to ensure that his roster continues progressing instead of declining.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Cleveland Cavaliers Not Intrigued By Dallas Mavericks’ Assets For Collin Sexton?
For example, Cleveland Cavaliers scoring guard Collin Sexton has yet to sign a new deal. While the Mavericks don’t have the cap space to sign him outright — at least not to the amount that he’s reportedly seeking this summer — but they can inquire about a possible sign-and-trade deal with the Cavs to bring him to Texas. Sexton would be a brilliant replacement for Brunson, as he’s capable of supplementing all of the shot creation that would have been lost.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide guard could theoretically become a better fit next to Luka Doncic as well, as he has the tools to be an impactful defender when healthy and engaged. Playing next to one of the NBA’s ten best players on a team that could realistically compete for a title with his services in tow could just unlock Sexton and turn him into one of the better two-way guards in the league.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Cleveland Cavaliers Not Intrigued By Dallas Mavericks’ Assets For Collin Sexton?
Considering how long it’s taken Collin Sexton to ink a new deal, it appears that his market has been softer than expected. If so, the Mavericks shouldn’t hesitate to try to drum up the best offer possible to bring him to Dallas.
