Mavericks have the secret recipe to make a LaMelo Ball trade work

It's no secret that the Dallas Mavericks have been desperate for elite guard play with Kyrie Irving still out indefinitely, especially given the shooting struggles of D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Williams recently. Perhaps the Mavericks could look toward the East Coast to try and swing a LaMelo Ball trade with the Charlotte Hornets, as they may have the infrastructure for Ball to excel in Dallas.

At 24 years old and being a 6-foot-7 guard, Ball has proven to be one of the most dynamic three-level scorers and playmakers in the league when he's fully dialed in. He has pulled off some passes and dribble combos in the league that have never been seen before, but his inefficiency and bad habits have plagued his flashy highlights through his young career thus far.

Ball has missed some time due to an ankle injury this season, and despite recently returning to the Hornets' lineup, he's appeared in trade rumors throughout the last few days. Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reported that Ball is open to being traded by the Hornets, and Dallas could have what it takes to get his career back on track.

Mavericks have the structure for LaMelo Ball to reach his star potential

Ball is currently set to make $37 million this season, and while it's unlikely the Mavericks would make a direct trade for him if the Hornets were to shop him, using Anthony Davis' $54 million salary in a potential three-team deal could be a feasible way to bring Ball to Dallas, especially with Davis' future in Dallas being shaky.

Now in his sixth season in the league, Ball has shown flashes of being completely unstoppable, as there aren't many players in the league who have the ball on a string to the degree Ball does, and he covers ground extremely quickly with his speed and footwork. However, Ball has suffered in a losing situation in Charlotte, almost seeming to prioritize making the flashiest pass or coolest layup on certain possessions, rather than making the right play for the offense.

This isn't to say Ball is a selfish player by any means, but it's clear no one in Charlotte has truly been able to get through to his head regarding using his immense skill to play a more efficient brand of basketball, but the Mavericks may be better equipped than any other team in the league to give Ball the tools to succeed at the highest level.

Assuming Dallas hangs on to Irving past the trade deadline, Ball could play and learn alongside one of the most skilled and efficient shot creators of all time, and of course head coach Jason Kidd has his own Hall-of-Fame resume playing the point guard position, so Ball would have some of the best tutelage in the league to take his game to the next level if he came to Dallas. Kidd is elite at managing egos, and he may have the brains and ability as a players' coach to get through to Ball.

Of course, it's no guarantee Ball would change all of his bad habits, such as taking possessions off, just because of being traded to Dallas. However, if he's ever going to reach his ceiling as a player, it's clear that a team like Dallas would have the best infrastructure to achieve this goal.

The Mavericks may not be one of the more stable organizations in the league anymore following the Luka Doncic trade, but Irving and Kidd have already done wonders for the likes of someone like Williams from a mentorship perspective, and this could certainly be replicated with someone as talented as Ball if he can shift his mindset a little and buy in.