The Dallas Mavericks must do something before the trade deadline

With less than 10 days until the trade deadline passes us up, the Dallas Mavericks continue to stay quiet across the trade market, with no rumors coming from the team. Will the Mavs make a move?

It seems obvious to those of us who watch every Dallas Mavericks game each year, but the team that is currently taking the court every game is not built to win anything now or in the future. This problem can be addressed in the next 10 days and it absolutely must be addressed if the front office doesn’t want a riot on their hands.

The Mavs are hurting right now. People are tired of seeing Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes jack up shots with regularity. Dennis Smith Jr. is tired of being here and will likely be traded before the start of next season at least. And the Mavs have already made it known that DeAndre Jordan is not part of the plans going forward past this season.

That leaves only Luka Doncic from the Mavericks regular starting lineup. Shockingly, that 19-year old is already enough to avoid a rebuild down the road.

The Mavs need to revamp the starting lineup and it needs to start before the trade deadline hits. The four non-Luka starters all have some sort of value on the market, the Mavs just need to find the guys that they can get. Dennis and HB offer talent, either established or potential that teams will be intrigued by. DJ and Wes both offer experienced veterans on expiring contracts.

The starting five of Luka, Dennis, Wes, Barnes and DJ has produced a net total of -68 points during their time together. That is significantly the worst rating of any lineup the Mavs have rolled out this season. They may not need to change out all four of the other starters, but the team clearly needs new blood.

As of now, Carlisle , Cuban and Donnie Nelson are not catching too much flak for their role in this awful starting unit. And that’s ok, because playing these guys before trades can definitely help with their trade value. The bigger issue will definitely present itself if these guys are back in the starting lineup after February 7th.

Dallas has one of the best players in the league at 19 years old. They have a solid bench and some promising youth, but how is it that the only other starter that could have a real future on this team is the one who wants out?

Dallas is on thin ice right now and the most exciting and important week of the year is nearly here. Something’s got to give and it really needs to be the team, not the front office. Only time will tell at this point.