The Toronto Raptors are reportedly finalizing a Pascal Siakam trade to the Indiana Pacers in a three-team deal. The Dallas Mavericks were initially listed as a potential suitor for Siakam, but if no setbacks occur then he will be joining the Pacers soon. Dallas may still be active in trade talks, however.
“The Mavericks continue to be linked to various versatile forwards, from Andrew Wiggins to P.J. Washington to old friend Dorian Finney-Smith, according to league sources,” Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports recently wrote.
Dallas currently holds a 24-17 record heading into Wednesday's game with the Los Angeles Lakers. They are in fifth place in the Western Conference as well, which is quite impressive given all of Dallas' injury concerns.
In fact, head coach Jason Kidd even said it's unfair to judge the Mavs yet due to all of the injuries.
“I think with all the injuries it's unclear… It's not fair to judge this group yet with all the injuries,” Kidd told reporters Monday. “I think we're setting a franchise record here this afternoon with a different starting lineup. But we can't complain, every team is going to go through it. But I think the character of this group, you can judge. We've always bounced back after a tough game.”
Should the Mavericks make a trade?
Dallas is seemingly open to making a deal. Adding another important player to the Mavericks Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving-led roster would only increase the team's chances of making a legitimate Western Conference run.
Getting healthy remains a crucial “next step”, though.
“When you look at Kai and Luka, their availability, you look at (Dereck) Lively's availability…we've had quite a few guys that have been out not just for one game or two games. We have kept the ship afloat,” Kidd said. “Again, give credit to the guys in that locker room… The next step is slowly get healthy and go from there.”
So with Pascal Siakam likely headed to the Pacers, would Andrew Wiggins, P.J. Washington, or Dorian Finney-Smith make sense for the Mavs?
Mavs rumored trade targets
Wiggins is 28-years old and features potential. Unfortunately, he has struggled with the Golden State Warriors during the 2023-24 season.
Wiggins is currently averaging just 11.9 points per game on 42.2 percent field goal and 29.6 percent three-point shooting across 26.3 minutes per game. And it should be noted that Wiggins has played in 36 games this season.
For his career, Wiggins has averaged just under 19 points per contest. He hasn't averaged under 17 points per game during an NBA season since his rookie year with the Minnesota Timberwolves, when he recorded 16.9 points per outing.
The Warriors are expected to be open to trading Wiggins. Given his underperformance, it will be interesting to see what kind of return Golden State wants. If Wiggins fails to receive much interest from around the rest of the league, perhaps the Mavericks will seriously consider acquiring him.
Washington and Finney-Smith don't necessarily feature the same upside. They are both reliable role players who would help a Mavericks team that would benefit from the added size. Of course, trading for another center is something the Mavs will surely consider.
But Washington and Finney-Smith are both 6'7 and could contribute on defense and in the rebounding department. Additionally, both players are capable of posting respectable numbers on offense.
Tim Hardaway Jr.'s superb season gives Dallas something else to consider
Many trade proposals from insiders around the NBA involving the Mavericks have included Dallas sending Tim Hardaway Jr. away in a deal. But Hardaway has performed at a superb level and the Mavs may want to keep him on the roster.
Of course, Hardaway has likely seen his trade interest increase as a result. Still, keeping Hardaway is a legitimate option for Dallas despite the trade rumors.
Overall, Hardaway is averaging 18.3 points per game for Dallas. Hardaway and Kyrie Irving led the Mavs to a thrilling 125-120 victory on Monday, with both players scoring more than 40 points.
Irving shared his thoughts on Hardaway's recent impressive performance following Monday's win.
“He’s having an incredible stretch right now,” Irving said of Hardaway. “He is making a lot of right reads. He is taking some tough shots for sure. I think he is right in his wheelhouse of allowing the work to translate into success on the court. You are watching him make a lot of opportunities for himself and be highly efficient at it. I’m happy for him.”
Hardaway's play will give Dallas something else to consider before making a trade.
Final thoughts
Wiggins, Washington, and Finney-Smith could potentially help this Mavericks team. I would not expect Dallas to force the issue on a trade, though. This team has found success in 2023-24 despite playing short-handed a lot of the time, so they will be interested to see what kind of results the roster can produce once fully healthy.
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