Kidd unexpectedly hints Mavericks’ trade pickup is finally ready to make his return

The Dallas Mavericks' most shocking trade deadline of all time is almost a month old, and they made two moves that they hoped would help them finish the season strong and have plenty of momentum heading into the playoffs as they try to reach the NBA Finals for the second year in a row.

Anthony Davis showcased how dominant he can be in his Mavs debut last month, as he finished with 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks while shooting 10-18 from the field and 2-2 from downtown, but he got injured in the third quarter and it doesn't look like his return is imminent. All of the excitement that was surging through the American Airlines Center was immediately halted, and now fans are playing the waiting game until he returns.

Davis has only been doing light shooting and lifting weights at this point of his rehab process, but the same can't be said about one of Dallas' other trade acquisitions, as he is finally ramping up his activity at the perfect time.

Jason Kidd signals Caleb Martin's return is near

The Mavericks traded Quentin Grimes and a second-round pick for Caleb Martin and a second-round pick on the day of the trade deadline, and Martin was injured when Dallas traded for him with a hip strain. After completing his physical, the Sixers added the aforementioned second-round pick to the deal, as his hip strain may have been more serious than initially expected. He hasn't played a game yet for the Mavs, but that could be changing within a week.

Jason Kidd was asked about Martin's rehab process before their game on Saturday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, and although he is usually extremely vague when giving updates on how players are progressing, he was transparent and thorough about Martin and how his rehab is going.

Kidd said that Martin is "trending in the right direction," and he is doing everything in practice, including five-on-five work. There have been no setbacks when it comes to his rehab either, and Dallas has been keeping an eye on his recovery after he plays in practice.

Kidd stated that the next time that Martin will play is on Tuesday, and he seemed optimistic that they will be able to provide some good news after that. This means that Martin will likely sit out tomorrow night's game against the Sacramento Kings, but he could return for their game on Wednesday against the Bucks depending on how he feels.

Martin's addition to the lineup has been highly anticipated, and they need him back more than ever, especially with Washington's nagging right ankle injury that he seemingly can't get over. Washington exited Saturday night's game early with right ankle soreness, and if he misses more time, then Martin is going to be flung into a sizable role right away depending on if he is on a minutes restriction.

This season in 31 games, Martin is averaging 9.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from downtown. He remains a switchable defender who can knock down open shots and attack closeouts, and Dallas is definitely going to need some offense from him once he's able to play.

The Mavericks' final 21 games of the season will ultimately determine their playoff fate, and it is all going to come down to if everyone can get healthy and in rhythm before the postseason. With Kidd's recent update on Martin, it sounds like this shouldn't be a problem for him, and time will tell how long it takes him to get acclimated on the floor with his new team. It's a good sign that he has been playing five on five recently, and fans can't wait to see him make his Mavs debut.