Mavericks next trade target could replace Luka if latest rumor is true

According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Trae Young’s future with the Atlanta Hawks is murky at best, and if that’s the case, the Dallas Mavericks should be one of the first in line to try to trade for him. He could be the perfect guy to lead the offense next to Cooper Flagg moving forward, replacing Luka Doncic as the star point guard in Dallas.

“The long-term outlook for Trae Young in Atlanta is murky at the minimum at this point,” MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective. “This is a guy who has been the face of the Atlanta Hawks for seven years. He's averaged 25 and 10. You know, just led the league in assists. His offensive production has been elite. But there are question marks about whether this is going to, you know, be a long-term marriage.”

A deal for Young could propel Dallas back up the standings in the Western Conference.

Why should the Mavericks trade for Trae Young?

Doncic and Young’s careers are already intertwined. They were traded for each other on draft night, and early in their careers, it looked like they were both going to be for-lifers with the Mavericks and Hawks, respectively.

However, Doncic has since been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in what may be the biggest deal in league history. And now, if Young truly does become available, he could be a potential replacement for Doncic in Dallas.

Young and Kyrie Irving would be a bit of a clunky fit in the backcourt, as neither is an incredible defender, and Young can be a liability on that end. However, offensively, Irving is clearly comfortable playing off the ball, and Young is one of the best playmakers in the NBA.

Plus, with Flagg, Anthony Davis, and a bunch of other solid defenders around them, the Mavs have the infrastructure to keep Young safe on that end of the court.

That being said, what would the Mavs have to give up in a hypothetical trade for Young?

Making the money match alone could prove to be difficult for the Mavericks, though they do have a few players on larger contracts who could be combined in a deal. They would probably have to ship out Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, Caleb Martin, and someone like Max Christie or Naji Marshall just to match Young’s salary.

That’s a lot of depth for Dallas to give up, plus, they would have to give Atlanta some draft capital, too.

Still, adding the offensive firepower of Young and pairing him with Flagg, Davis, and Irving could create a serious contender in the Western Conference and give the Mavs their Doncic replacement at the point guard position.