Dallas Mavericks: Should they trade draft picks for role players?

The Dallas Mavericks improved their roster this summer. They had hopes of landing another star and jumping into title contention, but that did not happen. The Mavs pivoted to add Reggie Bullock and Sterling Brown. The two wings improve their floor spacing and provide much-needed perimeter defense. Dallas locked up Luka Doncic long-term and filled their 15-man roster, but they may not be done.

Rumors suggest the Mavericks have interest in acquiring Goran Dragic and Lauri Markkanen, but neither will be easy. Dragic is in the final year of his contract making $19.4 million. The Raptors have no reason to buy him out, and it will be costly for Dallas to acquire him via trade. Markkanen remains a restricted free agent, and the Bulls want a first-round pick to give up their matching rights.

Mavs fans are quick to say yes, but should the franchise part with more draft capital to acquire a role player? Is improving at the moment worth giving up on the bigger picture? Let us examine what Dallas should consider whenever they are debating about giving up picks for production now.

Dallas Mavericks know not all players are equal

The Mavericks will be picky in their trade targets. They want to build a title contender around Luka Doncic as soon as possible. The 22-year-old is already a top-five player in the NBA, but his supporting cast must improve for Dallas to have legitimate title aspirations.

The Dallas Mavericks reached this point by trading draft picks for talent. Here is a closer look at that, the case for and against swapping picks for role players, and a verdict on what the organization should do.