Dallas Mavericks rumors: Kristaps Porzingis mentioned in trade talks

Tyler Watts

Dallas Mavericks Kristaps Porzingis Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Mavericks are still rebounding from a slow start. Kristaps Porzingis missed the first nine games of the season as recovered from offseason knee surgery. The Mavs were without as many as five players in the health and safety protocols for two straight weeks following KP’s return. They have rebounded to win six of their last eight, but questions remain.

The Mavericks defense has been one of the worst in the league. KP has struggled mightily as Dallas has a 123.7 defensive rating when the Unicorn is on the floor, which would rank significantly below 30th in the league. It is impossible to blame it all on Porzingis, but the team’s defensive rating with him off the floor is a respectable 110.7. The Mavs held Memphis to 92 points on Monday with KP sidelined because of a back injury.

Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported the Mavericks have discussed Kristaps Porzingis in trade talks. Should fans believe that rumor? What does it mean? Let us take a closer look.

Dallas Mavericks rumors: Kristaps Porzingis mentioned in trade talks

First, the Mavericks are notoriously tight-lipped about all trade discussions. Fans had no idea they were trading for Josh Richardson on draft night until it happened. So, take any rumor about the organization with a grain of salt, especially if it is not reported by Tim MacMahon, Brad Townsend, or Marc Stein.

The article states, “They’ve kicked the tires on everybody on their roster that’s not named Luka,” which is 100 percent believable. Donnie Nelson and the Mavericks are always active in trade discussions. They want to put the best possible team out of the floor. It does not mean a KP deal is imminent. The Mavs likely have asked around to see if they can get a king’s ransom for the Unicorn.

Dallas wants to make the playoffs and jump into title contention. They have no plans of wasting any season with Luka Doncic on their roster. Expect them to remain active in all trade discussions as they attempt to improve before the deadline.

The Dallas Mavericks are only a few pieces away from title contention, but finding them is always the difficult part. Stay tuned for plenty more rumors and analysis as the trade deadline approaches.

Tyler Watts

Tyler is an NBA Lead Editor at FanSided. He has been covering the league since 2016. He regularly writes about all 30 NBA franchises and the WNBA. He has seen every game of Luka Doncic's NBA career, and his work has been featured on Bleacher Report and Fantasy Pros. In his spare time, he enjoys going for walks, heading to games, or watching movies with his wife.