The Dallas Mavericks need to keep the duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving happy if they want to have a deep run at the NBA playoffs. It all starts by analyzing the fit of the players in the current roster. The Mavs have a lot of needs to patch up before thinking about making a push for the Larry O'Brien trophy. This means possibly giving up players like Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper such that Jason Kidd gets a better roster entering NBA training camps.
The Mavs trade Tim Hardaway Jr.
The Mavs were clearly in need of a third playmaker. Jason Kidd often plays Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving together. This means that the two run out of gas at roughly the same time during games. The role could have been given to Jalen Brunson if he did not move to the New York Knicks but they have to make do with what they have.
They tried pushing this role to Tim Hardaway Jr. but his performance just was not sufficient. His scoring prowess was there which is why he earned 14.4 points per game but it just could not convert into wins. Hardaway is also not a natural playmaker, one that sets the table for the success of his other teammates. It is largely evident in his assist numbers last season where he only notched 1.8 dimes per game.
Trading him away for a player who knows how to set the offense straight and draw up plays on the fly will be very valuable. This also means freeing up more playing time such that Seth Curry could thrive on Kidd's offensive system more. A swap including Malcolm Brogdon which involves another team could very well be the move. If that does not work out, there are surely other teams willing to trade for the 30-year-old.
Dallas trades Josh Green
The 18th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft remains to be a long-term project for the Mavs. This is fine but they have immediate needs to address like heightening their depth at the wings. He got 25.7 minutes per game for the whole season but his production does not seem to show up on crucial moments. Josh Green only notched 9.1 points per game on a relatively high 53.7% field goal shooting percentage.
These scoring chops are not at all bad which means that the Mavs can get some sort of leverage in a trade with his efficiency. More than that, the team is in need of a lot of rebounding. They ranked 29th on grabbing boards throughout the whole league. Swapping him for a specialist on defense, screen-setting, and rebounding will surely help players like Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, and Richaun Holmes.
Dallas trades Olivier-Maxence Prosper
The Marquette star took a huge leap in his final stint of college basketball. He got 12.5 points per game along with 4.7 total rebounds throughout his whole season. These are huge but Olivier-Maxence Prosper is bound to be a long-term project in the Mavs system. What makes it worse for Prosper is that he has to share minutes with experienced veterans in the power forward position.
Acquiring a dedicated three-and-d wing in exchange for him is surely going to be more worth it, not just for the success of the team but his own personal growth during NBA training camps.