Prior to the 2023 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks were linked for a potential trade. The Mavs were looking for a big man who can be a lob-threat and rim protector, and so they had their eyes on Atlanta center Clint Capela. Unfortunately, no deal was made and Dallas shifted their focus on trading for Richaun Holmes and addressing their other needs through the draft.

Apparently, though, the Mavs had a legitimate chance to acquire Capela. The problem is, the Hawks were reportedly asking for either Josh Green or Jaden Hardy, two young players that Dallas had no intention of moving at all.

“The Mavericks asked for Clint Capela. My understanding is the Hawks asked for the Mavericks to throw in Josh Green or Jaden Hardy, which that's a no-go. Those are young players that the Mavericks really like,” Tim MacMahon of ESPN said on The Hoop Collective podcast, per Sports Illustrated.

Green and Hardy really impressed for the Mavs last season, so it's understandable why they didn't want to make the trade. Green is a solid 3-point shooter, which is exactly the kind of player that Dallas wants to surround Luka Doncic with. Meanwhile, Hardy has shown flashes of his scoring ability, and that could be vital for the franchise as they look for an offensive sparkplug off the bench when their two superstars rest.

Fortunately, things worked out pretty well for the Mavs. Not only were they able to shed Davis Bertans' contract, but they landed two bigs in Richaun Holmes (via trade) and Dereck Lively II (via the draft), as well as a 3-and-D wing in Olivier-Maxence Prosper.