Dallas Mavericks: Two trade ideas with New Orleans Pelicans

Jrue should be on the radar

If the Mavs can’t swing for the fences and get Anthony Davis by some miracle, Jrue Holiday would be a heck of a consolation prize. When reports of Davis’ trade request surfaced, Holiday mentioned that he was in New Orleans primarily to play with AD. There is a very real chance that he could get moved before the deadline as well.

Knicks Pros: The New York Knicks are reportedly ready to throw the kitchen sink at the Pelicans for Anthony Davis and this trade would do just that. The most valuable piece would likely be the unprotected first round pick, which could realistically go for the top overall pick in the draft. Add in young talented players like Knox and Ntilikina and they have a good case for AD. Plus some cap space for the summer.

Knicks Cons: The Knicks would be trading away the future for a shot at the present. That is not too surprising as the upcoming summer seems like it could be a big one for New York. If the deal falls flat and AD doesn’t like it in New York either, the Knicks could fall into an even bigger hole than they already are in.

Pelicans Pros: The Pels lose their star, but they gain a lot of youth to replace it. Guys like Knox, Ntilikina, Dennis Smith Jr. and even Barnes are looking for a fresh start and could find that in New Orleans. Add in a likely top-10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and the Pelicans come away with a nice haul for an unhappy star.

Pelicans Cons: Once again, none of those guys are Davis. This one has the added disappointment of losing Jrue Holiday with AD, but they get a lot of pieces back so it’s not so bad. Still, this team is built on potential as opposed to proven success which can always fall apart if something goes wrong.

Mavericks Pros: The Mavs miss out on the big name, but add a guy that would compliment Luka Doncic perfectly. Jrue Holiday is a stellar guard with All-Star abilities on both ends of the court and he is under contract at least through the 2020-21 season. The Mavs give up a few pieces, but these are players that the team should be willing to let walk in this case.

Mavericks Cons: The Mavs lose a lot of cap space going into the summer. There are a lot of people that won’t be too fond of that, but the Mavs best assets right now are trade pieces, not available money. They need to get talent around Luka Doncic and this trade will do that faster than anything else.

The Dallas Mavericks will likely not be involved in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes in any way, but it sure would be fun to see either him or Jrue Holiday in a Mavs uniform. Regardless of what happens with New Orleans, the Mavs should be ready to make a deal with someone.