Why the Dallas Mavericks cannot acquire Jaylen Brown this offseason

The Dallas Mavericks would love to add a second star to pair with Luka Doncic, but wanting to do so is not enough. Kevin Durant and Donavan Mitchell are the latest All-Stars on the trade block, but the Mavs do not have the assets to acquire them.

The Jazz are focused on draft picks with Brooklyn searching for at least one young star plus draft capital. Dallas needs to remove the protection from their 2023 first they owe to the Knicks from the original Kristaps Porzingis trade just to be able to trade away three first-rounders. New York’s eight tradeable firsts far exceed what the Mavericks can offer for Mitchell or Durant.

MFFLs got excited when they heard the Celtics offered Jaylen Brown to the Nets in a KD deal. Ears perked up about the team’s ability to acquire the 25-year-old All-Star, but the Mavs cannot acquire Brown, and here is a look at why.

Why the Dallas Mavericks cannot acquire Jaylen Brown this offseason

The Celtics were just in the NBA Finals with Brown as their number two to Jayson Tatum. Boston spent the early part of the offseason improving their depth by trading for Malcolm Brogdon and signing Danilo Gallinari. They want to be back in the NBA Finals and to win their 18th championship. The Celtics are not trading Brown for draft picks or any package that forces them to take a short-term step backward.

Trading for Kevin Durant makes sense for Boston because he is the superior player to Brown right now. The Celtics improve their odds of winning the 2023 championship with KD. What package could the Mavericks offer that improves Boston’s chances of winning the championship right now? Short of putting Luka Doncic in the deal, which is not happening, Dallas cannot.

The Mavs best offer for Jaylen Brown would be Tim Hardaway Jr. and Reggie Bullock plus three first-round picks and three swaps. That may be a trade that interests Boston, but there is no way Brad Stevens accepts because it would make the Celtics worse right now. The Mavericks should expect a quick hang-up if they inquire about Brown.

Boston’s lack of interest in the package is just one of the many reasons why Jaylen Brown is not coming to Dallas. JB is exactly the type of player the Mavericks want to pair with Doncic, but the 6’6 wing has two years left on his contract, and he is unlikely to extend before free agency because the Celtics cannot offer him a max deal. JB can only receive 120 percent of the final year of his contract, but he is worth more on the open market.

Brown will test unrestricted free agency in 2024. The Mavs just lost Jalen Brunson for nothing, and the front office deserves the blame. They would be in the same boat with Brown, and the Mavericks cannot afford a repeat when he hits the open market.

It is fun to jump on the trade machine and create the best offer the Dallas Mavericks can muster, but it will not be enough to acquire Jaylen Brown this summer. If he lets the Celtics know that he plans on leaving after this season, Brown could hit the trade market after the 2023 draft, and Dallas may be in a better position. But he is only leaving Boston this summer if Kevin Durant is heading to the Celtics.