The Dallas Mavericks have been one of the most inconsistent teams this year. Their formula to success does not seem to be sustainable if they want to compete for an NBA championship in the next couple of years. Luka Doncic is on track for another top 5 MVP performance at the very least, but he is not receiving ample support that is vital in the path to compete with the likes of the Memphis Grizzlies or Denver Nuggets.
Losing five out of their last six games has been atrocious as they have surrendered over 110 points in all these contests. Even during the tenure of Rick Carlisle, the defense of the Mavs was a major weakness already. With the offseason loss of Jalen Brunson, problems started to persist at various parts this season, which could have been avoided initially if they signed Brunson to a contract extension.
Even with the underwhelming stretch for Dallas, there's still some optimism with the other struggles of their West counterparts. Thus, these are a couple of names they must move before the 2023 trade deadline.
Davis Bertans
The salary of Davis Bertans was the one utilized in the Kristaps Porzingis deal that the Mavs executed before last season's trade deadline. NBA fans may wonder why Dallas would absorb his salary from the Washington Wizards, but the rationale is that they have more flexibility with Bertans rather than locking up Porzingis until his contract ends in 2024.
There were two seasons in 2020 and 2021 when Davis Bertans was a spectacular spot-up shooter despite his lackluster defense. The expectation in Dallas was for him to play a couple of spurts and contribute 3-4 threes per game because of the floor spacing and unselfishness of Luka Doncic. Bertans has been averaging single-digit points and converting less than 40% from behind the arc, so the fit could be better in a different environment.
There are franchises in dire need of three-point shooting like the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat. These squads have salary fillers to ship to Dallas, but it is up to the front office if they are willing to take a chance on someone like Duncan Robinson or Justin Holiday.
Dwight Powell
With the plausible investment on recently acquired big man Christian Wood along with Wood's terrific numbers with Maxi Kleber, there seems to be no reason for the front office to sign Dwight Powell to a contract extension after this season. His current deal is at $11 million, and he will likely request a higher salary, which is not a brilliant option for the Mavs' front office.
The evolution of the game has lessened the impact of Powell because he does not have a reliable outside shoot, and he has a difficult time matching up with modern-day centers. Furthermore, Powell will be lost for nothing if decides to depart in the offseason, so Dallas could buy low on a particular asset or pounce on a disgruntled role player who can thrive in the system of coach Jason Kidd.
It will be difficult to trade both Davis Bertans and Dwight Powell before the February 9th trade deadline, but they could move them for anything, so they could lessen their payroll for a season wherein it is unlikely for them to contend for an NBA Championship. Letting go of two subpar players who are still guaranteed a total of $55 million will come a long way in their flexibility for big changes in the offseason.
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