Mavericks pursuing unexpected trade target to replace Kyrie Irving immediately

As soon as Kyrie Irving went down with an ACL tear at the beginning of March, it was clear that the Dallas Mavericks needed more guard depth in a bad way. After trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, it was abundantly clear that Dallas wasn't going to have enough guard depth to contend, and Irving going down made this predicament even worse.

Now, with NBA free agency quickly approaching, one of the Mavs' main focuses is finding a stopgap guard to replace Irving until he returns, as they are searching for more ball handling and playmaking. Dallas has already been linked to Chris Paul and Jrue Holiday over the last few days, and now, according to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavs are interested in trading for Lonzo Ball (subscription required) of the Chicago Bulls.

Ball is about to enter year one of a two-year, $20 million extension with Chicago, and he has a $10 million team option as part of his contract for the following season. He may be the ideal candidate to take Irving's spot until he returns to the lineup (likely at some point in 2026), and even once Irving comes back, Ball has the versatility to play alongside him.

Lonzo Ball becomes surprising candidate to replace Kyrie Irving

Last season in 35 games for the Bulls, Ball averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 34.4 percent from downtown. If Ball can stay healthy, he would give the Mavs the size, defense, playmaking, and 3-point shooting they need out of their backup point guard, and his experience as a starter (253 starts) throughout his NBA career would help him take on the starting spot while Irving is out.

Ball fits Jason Kidd's goal of playing faster next season, and considering his injury history and the Bulls' current guard depth, they could potentially land him without giving up too much. If the Mavs were to trade for Ball, they'd be landing a player who would be a great culture fit (when taking into account how respected he was in the Bulls locker room), and his on-court fit would be just as strong.

With a starting lineup (to begin the season) of Ball, Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II, the Mavericks' defense would be unbelievably elite, as Ball is an underrated defender who can guard both guard spots effectively. Standing at 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Ball is an effective disruptor and incredible off-ball defender. His feel for the game and anticipation allow him to come away with plenty of steals in the passing lanes, and these steals often end up as two points on the other end for Ball or one of his teammates due to his ability to push the pace and throw accurate throw-ahead passes.

On offense, if Ball can knock down threes at a high clip, Dallas would be golden. They wouldn't be asking a ton of Ball. They'd just need him to drill open shots, take care of the basketball, and run the offense at a high level.

Ball was made to be a floor general, as his basketball IQ and passing have helped him be a trustworthy ball handler over the entire course of his career, and while he isn't someone who you can trust to create their own offense often, he can hold his own on that end on or off the ball.

Ball's selflessness and the fact that he is an elite connector should have the Mavericks heavily considering trading for him, as he would thrive with or without Irving on the floor next to him, and if he can stay healthy for the entire season, the Mavs may have just found themselves the best-possible bargain bin trade target to replace Irving.