If recent rumors are to be believed, the Dallas Mavericks might be forced to break their pieces surrounding Luka Doncic by the February 10 trade deadline.
According to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, there is growing belief around the league that the Mavs would move either Jalen Brunson or Dorian Finney-Smith by the deadline in a bid to avoid the luxury tax. Both players are expected to command a significant increase in salary when they hit free agency, so it will be a difficult task to retain both of their services.
For what it's worth, however, the Mavs won't have a shortage in suitors if they do make the two available. Finney-Smith is said to have generated interest from the likes of the Atlanta Hawks and the Portland Trail Blazers to name a few, while Brunson has reportedly been a target of the New York Knicks.
A lot of executives around the league expect either Dorian Finney-Smith or Jalen Brunson to be possibly on the move by the trade deadline since it’ll be tough for Dallas to keep both players going forward and avoid the luxury tax. Regarding Finney-Smith, several teams, including the Hawks, Trail Blazers, Pacers, Wizards, Pelicans, and others have kept tabs on him, I’m told.
It remains to be seen what the Mavs will do with both Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith considering they are both crucial cogs on their offense and defense. Luka Doncic's chemistry with them is also undeniable, as proven by the team's solid run recently.
There have been reports that Brunson would be seeking a $20 million per year salary in free agency, and given the hefty asking price, it might be hard for Dallas to retain him.
The Mavs certainly have big decisions to make, and they need to make it rather soon with the deadline less than two weeks away,
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