Dallas Mavericks: 3 Playoff Teams That Could Use a Current Mav

If the Dallas Mavericks could loan a player from the roster to a playoff needy team, here are three theoretical pairings.

Let’s have some theoretical fun.

There are only eight teams left in the playoffs as they all head to the second round.

With teams on both sides having some glaring roster holes, what if they could pluck a player from a non-playoff team for the postseason?

What if teams could pluck a Dallas Maverick into the glaring hole just for the playoffs?

Here are three current Dallas Mavericks that could help plug-in a hole for a current playoff team.

Boston Celtics- J.J. Barea

After losing Kyrie Irving for the year, a lot of people counted Boston out of making it past the first round of the playoffs, including myself.

Without Irving and Hayward, going up against Giannis and the Bucks, I didn’t think they would pull through but they did. Terry Rozier took over the point guard duties and is one of the breakout players of the playoffs.

But after Rozier, it gets bare in the rotation. Marcus Smart is a combo guard but fits better off the ball in my opinion. Right now, the back up point minutes are going to Shane Larkin.

If you replaced Larkin’s minutes with J.J. Barea, you would have a major upgrade to the second unit with someone who just had the best statistical season of his career.

Cleveland Cavaliers- Harrison Barnes

The Cavaliers desperately miss the playmaking and scoring of Kyrie Irving.

Cleveland shook up the roster at the deadline when they brought in George Hill, Rodney Hood, Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson. Now, hardly any of them play.

LeBron wants the veterans he can trust on the floor, but in return, that means only Kevin Love is the other scoring option to James. They desperately need another scorer.

Enter Harrison Barnes.

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If you could pluck Barnes into this rotation alongside James and Love for this playoff run, they would instantly become the favorites of the East again. He would ease the load off James and give some wing defense on the other end also.

Goodbye Jeff Green.

New Orleans Pelicans- Wesley Matthews

This is the most obvious one.

New Orleans has a roster the resembles book ends. They have bigs like Anthony Davis and Nikola Mirotic (not including DeMarcus Cousins). Then they have guards like Jrue Holiday, Rajon Rondo and E’Twaun Moore.

They need three-point shooting and wing defense desperately and this defines Wesley Matthews.

At the moment, they are starting 6’4″ Moore at the three and asking him or Holiday to guard some of the best wing players in the game. Matthews would space the floor offensively and give them a lockdown wing defender against this monstrous Warriors team.

I would also add the Utah Jazz to the Wesley Matthews list.

Next: Eliminated Playoff Team Trade Possibilities

Also, I can never write about Dirk in another uniform.