The Dallas Mavericks, since drafting Luka Doncic in 2018, have long been linked by many to potentially acquiring Goran Dragic given the two's national team synergy with Slovenia. Nevertheless, Dragic decided to spurn the Mavs as he remained with the Miami Heat following a run to the NBA Finals in the Bubble.

However, the Heat scuffled through a disappointing 2020-21 season, ending in a first-round playoff defeat, and they traded Dragic shortly thereafter, dealing him away in a sign-and-trade for Kyle Lowry.

Once Goran Dragic arrived with the Toronto Raptors, however, rumors regarding a potential teamup between the two Slovenian guards came flying from all directions once more. In fact, many fans and analysts thought that the Mavs could, perhaps, pull off a trade for the veteran point guard with a deal centering on centers Dwight Powell and Moses Brown.

Alas, the Raptors ended up keeping Dragic, instead trading him away to the San Antonio Spurs in the deal that netted them Thaddeus Young. Consequently, the Spurs agreed with Dragic on a buyout, once again igniting rumors on a potential move to join Luka Doncic in the Mavs. However, Dragic decided to sign with the Brooklyn Nets, a team that flamed out early in the 2022 postseason.

Fast forward to March 2023, and Goran Dragic finds himself on the buyout market once more. As expected, Dragic finds himself linked to the Mavs for the umpteenth time in his career. However, is the 36-year old what the Mavs need, given their current predicament of trying to integrate Kyrie Irving this late into the season?

With 19 games to go, however, the Mavs might be better off looking elsewhere to bolster their roster as they try to avoid the dreaded play-in tournament. Here is why the Mavs must not sign Goran Dragic and team him up with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Why Mavs must not sign Goran Dragic

For much of the season, the Mavs looked like they needed guard help, especially after losing Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks for nothing in free agency. To rub salt in their wounds, Brunson proceeded to have an All-Star caliber campaign. It quickly became evident that Luka Doncic's offensive burden was reaching untenable levels despite the presence of Spencer Dinwiddie; imagine dropping a 60-point triple double and barely winning in overtime.

So when the Mavs decided to deal away Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith for Kyrie Irving, their front office made one thing clear: they wanted to add as much talent as possible alongside Doncic, potential fit or defensive issues notwithstanding.

But in the process of adding Irving, the Mavs seemed to have forgotten completely about the concept of defense. With both Irving and Doncic in the lineup, the Mavs have won just one out of five games – hardly an acceptable return on investment for a team looking to crash the upper echelon of contending teams.

Their defense, in particular, looks toast, and this doesn't look like a problem that can be solved without adding a few pieces, perhaps in the offseason. They have allowed their opponents to score 60 or more points in the paint in five of their past six games, allowing a 121.9 defensive rating during that stretch, per StatMuse. To put in perspective just how terrible that is, the league's worst team, the San Antonio Spurs, allow a defensive rating of 120.1 for the entire season.

Even the return of Maxi Kleber did not help matters, as the Mavs gave up a ton of points to the 19th ranked offense in the NBA in the Indiana Pacers.

Thus, adding Goran Dragic should be the farthest thing from the Mavs front office's mind. Not only do the Mavs not need another guard, with Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic taking turns leading their offense, the last thing their roster needs is an undersized guard who will not move the needle for them on the defensive end.

Dragic is now 36 years old as well, so it's hard to envision him being of any help to a team with contending aspirations. Even the Chicago Bulls, a team with a 28-34 record and is currently on the outside looking in on the playoff race, gave up on the veteran point guard. Is it a stretch to think that Jaden Hardy or perhaps even McKinley Wright IV are better options at the moment than Dragic?

Goran Dragic was an All-Star caliber player in his prime, but those days are long gone. The Mavs are better off using an open roster spot on Nerlens Noel. Noel could give the Mavs a mobile rim protector, a much quicker rim-running option than the 35-year old JaVale McGee.