Mavericks' rumored trade deadline move is exactly what's needed for a Finals return

The Dallas Mavericks are in the middle of one of their roughest stretches of the season, and something has to change quickly as the team has struggled without Luka Doncic this time around.

Before Doncic's Christmas Day calf strain, the Mavs had found ways to win without him. Their depth shined in games without Doncic leading up to that nightmare moment on Christmas, but things have been different over the last week or so.

Dallas has lost four of their last five games, and the injuries just keep rolling in for the Mavs as P.J. Washington went down with a knee sprain on Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets. Washington getting injured is the last thing the Mavs need right now considering that they are 1-6 without him on the year, and his impact is not replaceable by anyone else on the roster.

This injury to Washington could put pressure on the front office to fulfill their rumored trade focus of adding frontcourt depth considering how much he means to the team, and Dallas' potential trade deadline endeavors just received an interesting update.

Mavericks want to trade for a defensive ace

Christian Clark of The Athletic reported that Dallas has "contemplated trying to add an impact perimeter defender" ahead of next month's trade deadline, and this tidbit of intel gives fans a much better idea of how the Mavs want to upgrade their roster around their elite core.

Herbert Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans is a name that Mavs fans have been speculating about over the last few weeks when thinking about who they should trade for, and he just happens to fit the description of what Dallas wants in a player according to Clark's report. Jones is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, and he would be an exceptional piece next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in Big D.

A move for Jones or a different lockdown defender could be exactly what Dallas needs to compete with the best teams in the NBA and return to the NBA Finals, as their defense hasn't been super consistent this season. They need one more stopper in their second unit, and this type of move would raise their ceiling significantly.

This season for New Orleans, Jones is averaging 10.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 28.8 percent from downtown, and both of those shooting numbers are career lows for the fourth-year wing. These low shooting percentages could help convince New Orleans to move him, but from everything that's been reported, seeing him get traded this season seems like a long shot.

Dallas would provide him with the perfect place to play a massive role on a contender while also having his skills utilized, but as Clark reported, it doesn't look like the Pelicans will move him.

Whether the Mavs pursue Jones or not, Dallas trading for a frontcourt defensive stopper is the exact move that they need right now. They particularly need a backup power forward to play behind P.J. Washington, as Maxi Kleber has taken a major step back in terms of production this season.

Despite having some decent games recently, he is still shooting a career-low 37.3 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from downtown. His confidence has looked shot this season, and he may be the player that Dallas looks to trade in a potential move for a defensive ace considering that his name has already been floated in trade rumors.

The Mavs typically hold their cards extremely close to their chests when it comes to their trade deadline endeavors, and we may not know the exact player they're interested in or the type of move they want to make until they actually make it. There have been rumors though that Dallas was interested in making a trade for Dorian Finney-Smith before the Los Angeles Lakers traded for him, and we also know that they aren't interested in trading their elite depth in a blockbuster trade for Jimmy Butler despite Butler reportedly being interested in becoming a Maverick.

The rumors are thin right now outside of Dallas looking for a solid perimeter defender and frontcourt depth, and we'll likely learn more about what Dallas plans to do to upgrade their roster as the trade deadline gets closer.