Mavericks' biggest trade deadline worry may already be solved

On the day of the trade deadline, the nightmare of the Luka Doncic trade seemed to be officially over, as Anthony Davis was traded to the Washington Wizards in a ginormous package for both the Wizards and the Dallas Mavericks. Since then, Khris Middleton has been a key piece for the Mavericks, and it's clear what the next move should be, and that should be keeping the 13-year veteran.

Immediately following the trade, there was uncertainty about the future of Middleton, as he looked to initially be a buyout candidate. Despite this, Middleton opted to remain in Dallas and has been one of the bright spots of the Mavericks.

Middleton is already getting starting minutes with the Mavs. He's averaging nearly 13 points in 25 minutes per game, and he's proven to be an effective one-on-one player when backing down opponents. This may not have been the plan for him to thrive, but it appears he's done more than that. He's resurrected his career to another height that no one expected when he was traded to the Mavericks.

Re-signing Khris Middleton should be an obvious priority

It appears the Mavericks are going to get a lottery pick this summer, but before they think about that, they need to prioritize signing Middleton first. Having a proven leader to support a young Cooper Flagg is perfect for his growth. Not only will having a veteran help, but a veteran who has seen an NBA Finals championship is invaluable to support the upcoming star.

Having Klay Thompson isn't bad either. Middleton and Thompson on the same team back in 2019 would've been a heck of a team, but having them in 2026 is pretty nice, too. They just play different roles as older guys now.

We all know this is Flagg's team now, but if Middleton can come up big in crunch time and be a nice supporting piece, signing him should be an easy decision. He's passed all the tests so far, and he needs to be a top priority.

Mavericks fans shouldn't worry about Middleton's slight decline

It's not in the cards for Middleton to average more than 20 points in his career anymore, as the last time he did that was in the 2020-21 season, where he helped the Milwaukee Bucks win their first championship in 50 years. He was a key piece next to Giannis Antetokounmpo for so long in Milwaukee, and he's a proven champion.

Middleton doesn't have to be the flashy player he was back in the day. All he needs to do is play a role in what's going to be a younger team for next season.

He'll probably embrace that role, too. After Middleton was traded to the Wizards last season, he was still averaging double digits while acting as a veteran voice in the locker room. His 3-point shooting has to be better, as he's only shooting 30 percent from deep since he was traded to the Mavericks.

That may get better over time, but even if it doesn't, he can depend on getting to the baseline to go one-on-one against defenders. It may not look pretty at all times, but most of the time, he's been a breath of fresh air on the court for the Mavs.