The young Dallas Mavericks have been the surprise of the a stacked Western Conference so far, currently ranked fifth in the division with a 19-9 record.
Even with star Luka Doncic currently sidelined with an ankle injury, the team managed to go 2-1 in his absence, while also holding the distinction as the only team to defeat the formidable Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks this season.
The Rick Carlisle-mentored team is expected to be good in the coming years, now that they have found Dirk Nowitzki’s heir apparent in Doncic. His fellow European star Kristaps Porzingis also seems to have regained his All-Star form after missing all of last season with an ACL injury.
With the way Dallas is playing at the moment, it seems that they have actually skipped the rebuilding phase and can actually contend this season if they can just add a few pieces.
They have some nice assets they can shop around in Dwight Powell, Justin Jackson, and Courtney Lee, while guys like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dorian Finney-Smith’s stocks have risen and will also attract other teams in possible trade packages.
Let’s take a look at two players who would be the perfect trade targets for the Mavs before the deadline.
The Mavericks needs to fill their gaping hole in the middle, and the team can’t go wrong with one of the best young centers in the league today in Andre Drummond.
The team, after all, has recently claimed that they are indeed looking for a player of Drummond’s mold, and it seems that the Detroit Pistons are open to listening to some offers.
As good as The Unicorn has been for them on both ends of the floor, Porzingis will still be more effective playing alongside another big who is willing to do the dirty work underneath.
There are plenty of All-Star caliber big men in the trade block right now like LaMarcus Aldridge or Kevin Love, but Drummond brings more of a defensive presence direly needed by the team.
However, trading for Drummond won’t be easy for Dallas, as Detroit is more likely to part ways with his front court mate Blake Griffin — who could be another possible target for the Mavs.
Andre Igoudala
At first glance, Iggy doesn’t seem to be a priority for the Mavericks given they already have capable two-way wing players at their disposal.
But if the youth-laden squad are really focused on making a championship run, they need another vocal veteran leader with championship experience other than JJ Barea to guide them to the promise land.
The 35-year-old swingman seems to be the perfect man for the job to provide some valuable mentoring to Doncic, who has yet to experience how different playoff atmosphere is from the regular season.
Now past his prime, Iguodala won’t wow you with his scoring, but that’s what Doncic, Porzingis and Seth Curry is there to do.
He is still one of the best defensive stoppers in the game. A veteran who can match-up with the LeBrons and the Kawhi-types in the West.
With the Memphis Grizzlies unwilling to help contenders by buying out Iggy, Dallas might need to sweeten the pot and get creative in terms of an enticing trade package to get him to Texas.
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