Three New Year’s resolutions for the Dallas Mavericks

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DALLAS, TX – DECEMBER 2: Wesley Matthews #23 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts against the LA Clippers on December 2, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Test the waters in the trade market

The Mavs have had successes and failures around the trade deadline over the years. Some of the great trades that Dallas has made in the past include the deals to acquire Doug McDermott, Jason Kidd, Nick Van Exel and Juwan Howard. Some of the bad trades include the trading of Jason Kidd, Mark Aguirre and Jamal Mashburn.

The recent trades that the Mavs have been in are hit and miss. They did well with the McDermott trade but struck out with the Nerlens Noel deal. The Rajon Rondo deal wasn’t good in some areas but Dwight Powell has turned out pretty well for the team.

The point is, the Mavs are sitting at 18-20 and need some sort of spark. Everyone on the team has a role right now, but it may be time for a change or two. Wesley Matthews is an expiring contract with an experienced 3-D veteran that many teams may find appealing. Dwight Powell off the bench could fit nicely into a number of systems and Dennis Smith Jr. could bring a nice haul if the Mavs decide to go that route.

I’m not saying that the Mavs absolutely have to make a deal before the trade deadline passes, but it would be a real mistake if they aren’t actively exploring the market around the league. Dallas needs to make some changes to the lineup and to the rotation. A trade is almost certainly the best way for them to do that.

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