5 Players the Mavericks must trade for after shocking Luka Doncic move

Now over a day removed from trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, the Dallas Mavericks will try to move forward as normally as possible in the coming days as fans are seeking answers as to how this new look Mavericks roster will shake out. Dallas was extremely debilitated in their Sunday matinee contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers, as they had seven players listed on the injury report including Kyrie Irving, Daniel Gafford, and P.J. Washington.

Granted the Cavaliers have the best record in the league at 40-9, so even if the Mavericks were more healthy they would have had a tall task to overcome when you take into consideration Doncic was traded roughly 15 hours before tipoff of that game. Nico Harrison and the Mavericks have effectively made the gamble of the century in the NBA at this point, and now there's no room for error when it comes to Dallas cashing in on their championship window, as Kyrie Irving will be 33 years old before the playoffs start and has the ability to decline his player option if he doesn't want to be in Dallas anymore.

With a move like this, the Mavericks are far less set up for the future with both of their franchise cornerstones now being over 30 years old, and while gaining a solid 21-year-old defensive wing in Max Christie definitely helps Dallas' youth a little, the Mavericks could certainly use a younger shot creator with star potential since Doncic is gone.

One of the only potential players that Dallas could target before the February 6 trade deadline that fit that description and could maybe somewhat compensate for Doncic's shot-creation skillset was De'Aaron Fox, but Fox was shipped to Dallas' division rivals in the San Antonio Spurs late on Sunday evening.

5 Players Dallas must target to replace Doncic's shot creation

While Davis is bound to assume a good portion of Doncic's usage, he's definitely more of a play finisher compared to a shot creator, as Davis will semi-frequently face up from the nail or try to take a small in the post, but he also will act as a traditional roll-cut or pop-out big man in the screen game.

The Mavericks may not be able to find a younger playmaker and shot creator that has even half of Doncic's offensive savvy now that Fox is off the trade wire, but there are still some options on the table and Dallas has a newly acquired 2029 first-round pick to swing in another deal if they want to. With that being said, here are five players the Mavericks could target to replace the shot-creation hole left behind in Doncic's absence.

5. Bogdan Bogdanovic

Funny enough, speculation of Dallas being able to pair up Bogdan Bogdanovic with his Balkan confidant in Doncic actually surfaced recently with Bogdanovic on the trade block, but it's unknown as to whether the Mavericks would still have interest in Bogdanovic now that Doncic has been traded. Bogdanovic is unfortunately having his worst NBA season though at age 32, and he'd likely be the least helpful shot creator on this list.

That being said though, Bogdanovic has proven to be a talented three-level scorer in his prime, and he still is a great catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter. Bogdanovic is currently averaging 10 points per game on 37.1/30.1/88.2 shooting splits in roughly 25 minutes per game, as Bogdanovic has looked less explosive this season and is shooting the ball at career worst rates, but if he came out of his shooting slump he could be a good buy low shot creator at the deadline.

4. Kyle Kuzma

Kyle Kuzma and the Mavericks have had their differences over the years when it comes to trade rumors, yet they always seem to get thrown in together in rumors still, and Kuzma would give a needed boost to Dallas' shot creation department with Doncic gone. Dallas reportedly isn't registering any interest in Kuzma ahead of the trade deadline, but with Doncic gone the Mavericks could certainly use another wing scorer.

Kuzma can operate in the mid-range and is an underrated cutter, not to mention that he has great touch on his finishes and is very agile for a player who is 6-foot-9. Kuzma has shot career-worst percentages from the field and from downtown, but he's on a Washington Wizards team that is struggling mightily at 7-41, and he may just need a refresher and a new start after picking up his production in this recent stretch.

3. Collin Sexton

Collin Sexton would be one of the best options that Dallas could add to their guard rotation that could potentially be available, as the Utah Jazz are currently 11-36 and are expected to have somewhat of a fire sale at the trade deadline. Sexton is an explosive finisher for a guard and competes with one of the highest levels of effort and intensity in the entire NBA. He's even infamously known for spearheading a miraculous effort to almost beat the Minnesota Gophers when he was in college on the Alabama Crimson Tide, as injuries and players fouling out caused Alabama and Sexton to have to play 3-on-5.

Sexton fits the preverbal culture that Harrison is trying to create in Dallas perfectly, and he's shooting the 3-ball at the highest rate and volume of his career, as Sexton is currently averaging 18.7 points and 4.2 assists on 47.8/41.4/89.4 shooting splits. Sexton has been having the most efficient season of his career, and he's an extremely underrated defender with his quickness and plus-size wingspan. Sexton is only 26 years old and would have an opportunity to grow with some of Dallas' younger pieces like Washington, Gafford, and Dereck Lively II.

2. Keldon Johnson

Keldon Johnson has been oddly displaced on a San Antonio Spurs team that has brought in a ton of guards and wings over the past season or so, as Johnson hasn't started one game this season. Johnson has suffered a shooting slump like many others on this list, as he's shooting a career-worst 30.8 percent from beyond the arc this season. Johnson is a built athlete, as he has a strong 6-foot-5 and 220-pound frame that helps him tremendously as a point-of-attack defender.

Johnson made his mark as a player who can attack the rim at a high level as well as being a player who has a solid in-between game, and he'd be a pretty sound fit on Dallas' roster whether he's starting or coming off the bench. Before Fox was traded on Monday night, there seemed like a potential avenue to where Dallas could acquire Johnson in a potential three-team deal with San Antonio and the Sacramento Kings, but it still remains to be seen whether the Spurs will ship out the 25-year-old before the February 6 deadline.

1. Jordan Clarkson

Jordan Clarkson may be just as old as Bogdanovic and wouldn't help Dallas' bid to get younger whatsoever, but he would be a great fit for the Mavericks and is still putting up solid numbers on a struggling Utah team despite being in his 11th season in the league. Clarkson is currently averaging 15.9 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game on 40.9/35.9/81.4 shooting splits, and it wouldn't be surprising to see his assists number and efficiency take a jump if the Mavericks made a trade for him because of increased spacing.

Clarkson is a very creative pick-and-roll ball handler who has amassed a ton of experience against different defenses throughout his career, and he's grown a ton as a passer as he's gotten older, even averaging a career-high 5.0 assists per game. Clarkson isn't a defensive stud by any means, but with Dallas stockpiled with defenders now and Doncic being out the door, Clarkson may be the most sure-fire candidate on this list to help Dallas improve their shot creation once the playoffs roll around.