Why trading for a star player could make the Dallas Mavericks worse

The Dallas Mavericks want to upgrade their roster before the Feb. 9 trade deadline, and they are searching for a second star to pair with Luka Doncic. The front office is open to ideas, and they are even shopping Dorian Finney-Smith, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania (subscription required). Dallas appears to be open to moving anyone not named Doncic if they can acquire another All-Star.

For the Mavericks to be true title contenders, they must find Luka a co-star. It will be difficult to compete with the Celtics, Warriors, Bucks, Sixers, Nuggets, and Grizzlies if Dallas does not have a second star. The LA Clippers knocked the Mavs out of the playoffs two straight years because they had Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Dallas needs that one-two punch, and they will have to trade to acquire the second piece of it.

The Mavericks only have two first-round picks available to trade before the deadline, so they will have to sweeten their offer with talented players. Dorian Finney-Smith is likely their top trade chip at the deadline, but acquiring a second star might not improve the team in the short term. Here are three reasons why.

Dallas Mavericks will have holes and be unable to fill them

It will take all of the Mavs tradeable assets to acquire a legitimate second star before the Feb. 9 trade deadline. Dallas will likely part with both first-round picks plus Dorian Finney-Smith, Josh Green, and Tim Hardaway Jr. or Spencer Dinwiddie to make the salary-matching work.

The Mavs already have some clear needs ahead of the trade deadline. Acquiring a second star likely fills their need for another playmaker, especially if they can keep Dinwiddie, but Dallas will still have holes, and they won’t have the assets to fill them.

It will make the Mavericks worse in the short-term. Yes, they will have two stars, but the rest of their rotation will be cobbled together with the remaining pieces left on their roster after the trade.

Dallas Mavericks will have to overpay for a star because no superstars are available

The number of sellers on the trade market is tiny right now. The play-in tournament gives two more teams postseason games, and it allows teams to stay in contention longer. Add in the jam-packed standings in the Western Conference, and the number of confirmed sellers sits at three.

Other teams will join that list before Feb. 9, but no superstar player will be available. The market will lack a Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell. Zach LaVine, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and D’Angelo Russell are expected to be the best names available. All are potential All-Stars, but none are the best player on a contending team.

The best available will command a massive price because there are so many more buyers than sellers. Lack of supply always increases prices, so the Mavericks will have to overpay to land one of the two or three best players available at the trade deadline.

In the offseason, more trades are out there because teams can expand their rosters to 20 players and create more flexibility by making other moves. Superstars usually ask out in the offseason, which also drives down the price of star players.

Overpaying for a star when the Dallas Mavericks' trade assets are already limited will give them an unbalanced roster for the remainder of the season and potentially make them worse in the short term.

Depth is an issue for the Dallas Mavericks: It will be worse if they trade for second star

Depth has been an issue for Mavs in recent weeks as multiple rotation pieces have missed time with injuries. They had seven trusted options in Monday’s win over the Pistons. Maxi Kleber and Christian Wood are currently out injured, so even fully healthy, Dallas has nine players to use in a playoff series.

If trading for a second star costs them three of those players, and they only get one in return, the team’s depth is a massive issue. Head coach Jason Kidd will be forced to play Davis Bertans or Jaden Hardy minutes in the postseason, which will be difficult as teams attack the opponent's weakest link more frequently.

The Dallas Mavericks need more talent, and they would love to acquire a second star. Dallas needs one to become a true championship contender. They will be better long term if they acquire a second star before the deadline, but they could be worse in the short-term. Think back to the Kristaps Porzingis trade in 2019. Dallas did not have a lot left around Doncic for the remainder of that season, and it could be something similar this year if they acquire a second star before the deadline.

The Mavs are only parting with Dorian Finney-Smith if they can acquire a second star. Who will they land before Feb. 9? Stay tuned because there will be plenty of drama and suspense over the final ten days before the deadline.