Mavericks' Kristaps Porzingis trade just keeps getting better years later

The Dallas Mavericks had serious trade discussions with the Atlanta Hawks about sending them Anthony Davis before he was ultimately dealt to the Washington Wizards. It's a move that would have sent Davis to Atlanta, and Dallas would have likely acquired the expiring contracts of Luke Kennard and former Maverick Kristaps Porzingis. The trade, though, never panned out. Dallas traded Davis elsewhere while Atlanta sent Porzingis to the Golden State Warriors.

Not trading Davis to Atlanta is a move that has Mavs' fans excited, as they avoided seeing Porzingis for a second time. Porzingis played for Dallas from 2019 to 2022 after he was acquired from the New York Knicks. The idea was that Porzingis would be paired with Luka Doncic to create a dynamic duo. However, things never worked out due to injuries and a lack of chemistry on and off the court.

So, it seems the Mavericks made the right call by trading Porzingis to the Wizards in 2022. Bleacher Report seems to agree too, as their recent rankings of the top 10 current overrated players in the NBA support their decision. They ranked Porzingis as one of the most overrated players in the league. Their reason for his high ranking coincides with the Mavericks right to dump him when they did.

Mavericks got out of the Kristaps Porzingis business at the perfect time

One of the main reasons Dallas moved on from Porzingis was due to injuries. The former Mav played in 134 games over two and a half health seasons with the team (including sitting for the entire 2018-19 season). It was a recurring issue for fans, and the organization was tired of it.

It became a common theme that always occurred at the wrong time. One prime example was during the 2020 NBA Playoffs. Dallas was in a tight race with the LA Clippers when Porzingis tore his meniscus in Game 1 of the series. He fought through the pain during the first three games, but was eventually ruled out.

The Hawks know Porzingis' struggles first-hand. He played in 17 games for them before being traded to the Golden State Warriors. It is also a major reason why they traded him. Atlanta knew there was no resolution in sight, as dealing with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) as an NBA player is not an easy task.

The reality is, Atlanta, like Dallas, knew there would be no resolution, and he clearly isn't the player that he once was. This is why Bleacher Report ranked him so high on their list of overrated players. They explained that his injury history is too risky, as they believe, "the Warriors putting their eggs in the Porziņģis basket was a foolish decision."

It also doesn't help that Porzingis' value slightly diminished when Dallas took a major leap after letting him go. Three months after trading Porzingis, the Mavericks found themselves in the 2022 Western Conference Finals for the first time since the 2011 season. It was a move that worked in the team's favor, as they proved they were better off without their second-leading scorer.

Plus, Porzingis' salary became a liability. The Mavs signed him to a five-year, $158 million max extension after acquiring him. His injury history became so problematic that Dallas needed to free up financial flexibility, and they were forced to attach a second-round pick to get off his contract while acquiring Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans from Washington.

Again, this is why Bleacher Report ranked him on their overrated players list. They believed his injury history would become unsolvable. It's also why the Dallas Mavericks will always get the last laugh on the trade, as teams like the Washington Wizards, Boston Celtics, and Atlanta Hawks learned a valuable lesson after trading for the big man.