Mavericks' only hope to escape brutal trade mess is hiding in plain sight

Even though the NBA world will always remember the Dallas Mavericks' 2025 trade deadline for their decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, they made another trade a few days later that had fans up in arms too. Dallas traded Quentin Grimes to the Philadelphia 76ers for Caleb Martin, and this move blew up in their face when Martin struggled in Dallas while Grimes thrived for the Sixers.

Now, with Grimes' high free agency demands in Philadelphia, this trade looks a little less bad for the Mavs. Still, they lost the best player in the trade in Grimes while also coughing up a valuable 2025 second-round pick (which turned into Johni Broome). Martin didn't live up to his expectations in Dallas, as he battled a nagging hip injury and shot poorly over the first few months of his Mavericks journey, but the silver lining of the trade is still lurking in the shadows for Dallas.

The Mavs will be in great shape if Martin can be an elite perimeter defender next season, and he began to lay the foundation to do just that at the end of last season.

Only Caleb Martin's defense can pull Dallas out of this trade mess

Martin was seemingly never fully healthy as a Maverick last season, but he put together some excellent defensive performances that had Mavs fans ecstatic about his future defensive impact toward the end of the year. Notably, against the Atlanta Hawks, Martin played some spectacular defense on Trae Young at the end of the game, and it ultimately helped Dallas get the win.

The Mavericks have needed an elite perimeter defender ever since they let Derrick Jones Jr. walk and sign with the LA Clippers, and Martin has the chance to prove he can be that this season. Martin's versatility makes him a dangerous piece, as he has the strength and physicality to defend wings and the quickness and craft to stay with guards.

Martin takes pride in guarding the best player on the other team, and that is exactly what made Jones Jr. special in Dallas. His love for playing defense should allow Jason Kidd to trot out some scary defensive units, especially with Cooper Flagg joining the mix.

On top of Martin's endless on-ball pressure and peskiness, he is also a good help and switch defender, which should make him a star in Kidd's system. He has an excellent feel for the game on that end of the floor, and with the Mavs' need for more perimeter defense, they may ask for more out of him than anyone realizes.

It seems like Martin's defense is going to be a lock to be great, but they also need him to get back to being a decent 3-point shooter once again. Martin is a 35.7 percent 3-point shooter for his career, but over the 14 games he played in Dallas, he was abysmal from downtown. He shot 25 percent from three on 1.1 attempts per game, and they need him to be a plus shooter to be a staple in the rotation.

The Mavericks may never fully win the Grimes-Martin trade, as Grimes has emerged into a rising star in Philadelphia, but Martin taking a step as a defender and returning to top form may be the ultimate silver lining that Dallas desperately needs. Many Mavericks fans have counted him out after the slow start to his Dallas tenure, but he could wake everyone up immediately by cementing himself as the team's defensive stopper.