Dallas Mavericks: One trade that will immediately improve their defense

Dallas Mavericks trade that will immediately improve their defense

The Dallas Mavericks lost in six games to the LA Clippers in tension-filled first-round playoff series. Emotions ran high for the young Mavs as they attempted to pull the upset. Unfortunately, they were missing a few players and just did not have enough in the Orlando bubble.

The Mavericks defense has been suspect throughout the season. They should be motivated to address the issue in the offseason.

Dallas has picks 18 and 31 in the 2020 NBA Draft. Unlike the NFL, the transition for rookies in the NBA can take longer. So, the Mavs may look to trade their selections for immediate help.

Dallas Mavericks draft day trade to strengthen their defense

Tim Hardaway Jr. is almost certain to pick up his $18.975 million player option for next season. With the current economic crisis in the United States, you might see more players deciding to opt-in rather than test the market for more money. It’s understandable and could be a little safer, depending on how the league looks financially at the end of the year.

Gary Harris of the Denver Nuggets would be a fantastic fit in Dallas. He would improve their defense significantly. Harris has two years left on his deal at $39.6 million combined.

Last offseason, the Dallas Mavericks signed Delon Wright. Unfortunately, he didn’t see as much playing time as he hoped. The playoffs weren’t much different, as Wright was a DNP-CD in two out of the six games in the series.

Philadelphia 76ers decided to let go of head coach Brett Brown after getting swept in the first round by the Boston Celtics. They could shake up on their roster this offseason.

Here is a three-team deal that could make sense for all parties involved.

Dallas Mavericks acquire Gary Harris and Matisse Thybulle

The Mavs improve their perimeter defense tremendously with the additions of Harris and Mattise Thybulle. Harris is also a career 36.0 percent 3-point shooter and a veteran with playoff experience.

Thybulle showed a lot of promise in his rookie season with the Sixers. He looks to be an impact player. His energy and effort could be contagious for the Mavericks too.

The Sixers are overloaded with contracts that cripple their cap space for the next four years. There have been a lot of discussions about moving Al Horford or Tobias Harris in a salary dump.

Philadelphia would need some assets to use in a trade with a team willing to take on a bad contract. That is where trading for picks could come in handy. Jalen Brunson and Delon Wright would also give the Sixers long-term rotation help in the backcourt.

The Nuggets have a bright future, but changes could be made to shake things up around Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic if they do not make a deep playoff run.

Mason Plumlee will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Maxi Kleber could step in and fill the void at the center position behind Jokic. Josh Richardson is a plus defender with a solid contract that could help Denver with his versatility.

Knowing the Dallas Mavericks history of trading draft picks, there would be no surprise if this selection gets moved on draft day. Dallas improved much quicker than expected and should look into making win-now moves. The foreseeable future looks exciting for the Mavs, but the defense must be addressed.