Dallas Mavericks' 'top 3 trade targets' heading into pivotal 2024-25 season

2. Dorian Finney-Smith

Any time that anyone speculates who the Dallas Mavericks should target in a trade, Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith is mentioned nearly every time. Finney-Smith played six and a half seasons for the Mavs before being traded to the Nets as part of the Kyrie Irving trade, and Dallas has shown interest in him since he left.

Last season for Brooklyn, Finney-Smith averaged 8.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from downtown, and this was a big step in the right direction after a rough start to his stint in Brooklyn. You can never have too many 3-and-D wings, and that's exactly what Finney-Smith brings.

He was a key role player for the Mavs during their run to the Western Conference Finals in 2022, and his defense and 3-point shooting made him a fan favorite. Finney-Smith was particularly close with Luka Doncic during his time in Dallas, and there were rumblings last year that he'd like to return to the Mavs one day.

The Nets have been commanding considerable draft capital when shopping Finney-Smith over the last year or so, and if their asking price comes down even more, maybe the Mavs will play ball.

Dallas happens to be thin at the power forward spot, and if Maxi Kleber keeps getting injured, the Mavs may need to look elsewhere for reliability at this position. Finney-Smith has stayed relatively healthy over the course of his career, and he'd be a considerable upgrade from Kleber if the Mavs could find a way to bring him back to Dallas.

Kleber at his best is an incredibly talented big who brings unmatched versatility, but his top form has been rare as of late due to injuries.