Mavericks eye former Rookie of the Year to help clear glaring Kyrie Irving hurdle

Outside of the nonstop Cooper Flagg chatter that intensified after his incredible workout with the Dallas Mavericks earlier this week, the main buzz surrounding Dallas is around how they will replace Kyrie Irving until he returns from his ACL tear. The Mavericks are interested in addressing this need for more guard depth through the draft, free agency, the trade market, or potentially all three, and they have already been linked to a few players so far.

Dallas has shown interest in trades for Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday, and Collin Sexton, and a new name who they have shown interest in is Malcolm Brogdon, via free agency (which will officially begin next month).

According to Ian Begley of SNY, the Mavs have shown a level of interest in bringing Brogdon to Dallas in free agency this summer. Brogdon is known for winning Sixth Man of the Year in 2023 with the Boston Celtics and the Rookie of the Year in 2017 with the Milwaukee Bucks, and while the former Washington Wizard may not be Dallas' main answer to replacing Irving until he is healthy, he would definitely be a good veteran option to bring off the bench.

Mavericks interested in signing Malcolm Brogdon

Last season for the Wizards, Brogdon averaged 12.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 0.5 steals per game while shooting a career-low 43.3 percent from the field and a career-low 28.6 percent from downtown. Brogdon also only played in 24 games for the Wizards, which is also a career low, and while he likely could have played more games if he were on a contender (since the Wizards weren't competitive), the risks are there when considering bringing in Brogdon.

He has had injury problems for most of his career, but if he were able to stay healthy in Dallas, he'd be a great role player who brings high character and is reliable (when healthy). As mentioned earlier, he isn't someone the Mavericks should expect to be the spot starter while Irving is out, but if they can get him on a veteran minimum contract, he'd be an outstanding option to run the second unit.

Brogdon is the exact type of high-IQ, low-mistake guard the Mavericks should want to help lead the charge, and his game speaks for itself. Offensively, Brogdon can thrive as both a point guard and a shooting guard, as he has the ball handling, passing, and ability to make quick reads as a one, but he can also knock down open jumpers off the catch, or get all the way to the rim after attacking a closeout, and cut at the right time like a two.

His ability to get to the rim and finish through contact is still excellent at this point in his career, and while he won't wow you with a quick first step, he is great at changing pace to get to the hoop. Brogdon's game is far from flashy, but he gets the job done on both ends of the floor.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 229 pounds, Brogdon's sturdy frame helps him guard multiple positions effectively, and he plays with great physicality. He also happens to be a smart off-ball defender, which is extremely important in Dallas.

The Mavericks should undoubtedly think about bringing Brogdon in to help hold them over while Irving is out, and his size and off-ball ability would help him remain effective even when Irving is healthy. Brogdon could play next to Irving in certain lineups, and he seems like the type of player who would help raise the Mavs' ceiling right away.