Mavericks must trade for former fan-favorite wing if latest intel is true

The Dallas Mavericks are seemingly always active at the trade deadline, and it sounds like we will see more of the same this year.

Dallas is always looking for ways to improve their roster before the February deadline, and the best examples of that were over the last three years. The Mavs made monumental moves at the trade deadline for three years in a row, and last year's moves helped them land two pieces who ultimately helped them reach the NBA Finals in Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington.

Nico Harrison is never afraid to take a big swing and pursue players that he believes will make the team better, and there have already been reports that Dallas will be active on the market as they try to move Maxi Kleber.

Mavs must pounce on Finney-Smith if Nets lower asking price

Kleber's struggles as the backup four have led some fans to believe that this is the area that the Mavs need to upgrade most, and recent trade rumblings indicate that the avenue to do this may be much easier than expected.

Last season, the Mavs showed a level of interest in trying to trade for Dorian Finney-Smith, and while the deal never happened, it could still end up going down this season. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, "several playoff-caliber teams have already expressed interest in Finney-Smith, with some valuing him worth multiple second-round picks." There was no mention from Scotto of the Brooklyn Nets commanding a first-round pick for Finney-Smith as they have in the past, and this gives the Mavs the perfect chance to trade for him now.

This season for the Nets, Finney-Smith is averaging 10.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 42.2 percent from downtown. He is having one of the best seasons of his career, and adding him to be the second-string power forward behind P.J. Washington would be a major upgrade over Kleber.

Finney-Smith already knows how to play next to Luka Doncic, and he seems to have a level of interest in returning to the Mavs one day. Doncic has also already said that he'd like to team up with Finney-Smith again, and he brings all of the skills needed to succeed in Dallas.

All he would need to do is defend, rebound, and knock down open shots, and he has proven that he can do all of those things at a high level. He may not be the same rebounder that Kleber is, but he is a better perimeter defender and a much better shooter. Finney-Smith's skillset would add another dimension to Dallas' bench, which is already stacked, and cement the Mavs as one of the best teams in the Western Conference.

Coughing up a first-round pick would be a bit too lofty of a price if the Mavs were to pursue Finney-Smith again, but if Brooklyn's asking price does indeed fall to multiple second-round picks, the Mavs shouldn't hold back. They already know that he knows how to thrive in their system, and he would be a perfect fit in the locker room once again.