Dallas Mavericks: 5 things they can learn from Kristaps Porzingis trade

The Dallas Mavericks traded for Kristaps Porzingis in January 2019. It was a bold move. Luka Doncic was well on his way to winning Rookie of the Year, and the Mavs quickly figured out they needed to put the ball in his hands. Dallas traded up to get him, but nobody thought Luka would become a superstar so quickly. They wanted to add a second star and start building around Doncic immediately.

The Mavericks were 23-27 when they made the deal. They were a long shot to make the playoffs, but Dallas saw an opportunity and seized it. Porzingis was rehabbing from a torn ACL and slated to miss the entire 2018-2019 season. He was an All-Star the year prior. Acquiring a 23-year-old with those credentials rarely happens in the NBA, but KP requested a trade. The Knicks quickly shipped him to Dallas.

The deal cost the Mavericks Dennis Smith Jr., Wesley Matthews, DeAndre Jordan, and two first-round picks. They got Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke, and Courtney Lee in return. All four former Knicks had key moments with the Mavs following the trade. The deal has not worked out as planned, so what can Dallas learn and use going forward?

5 things the Dallas Mavericks can learn from the Kristaps Porzingis trade

Some fans want to label the trade as a disaster, but that is far from the case. The deal allowed the Mavs to jump back in the playoffs the last two years. Tim Hardaway Jr. has taken a step forward in Dallas. Kristaps Porzingis averaged over 20 points per game for two straight seasons. The Mavericks would not have forced the Clippers to seven games in the first round of the playoffs without those two.

KP has not been the second star that the Dallas Mavericks thought they were acquiring. Here are five things they have learned from the 2019 trade with the Knicks.

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