5 trades for Dallas Mavericks to land perfect big man partner for Luka Doncic

5. Brandon Clarke

Last season, the Dallas Mavericks played with the third-slowest pace in the league. For the most part, that's just how Luka Doncic rolls, but adding a center who could help them push the pace might be an intriguing idea.

Brandon Clarke is very short for a center, and he may not be the defensive anchor Dallas wants/needs, but he would bring some fantastic tools to Dallas. His fast-paced play, ability to get up for lobs, and underrated rebounding would all be great additions to the rotation.

Running him alongside Maxi Kleber would be an extremely interesting frontcourt duo, and considering Clarks is still only 26 years old (and on a solid contract), he has plenty of time to grow.

Clarke tore his Achilles at the beginning of March and was ruled out for the remainder of the 2022-23 season, so Dallas would have to trade for him knowing that he'll likely be recovering to start next year.

Jake LaRavia is far from a finished product, but he showed flashes of quality play during his rookie season with the Memphis Grizzlies. If the Mavericks can develop the 21-year-old, he could turn into a quality rotation piece.

For the Grizzlies, giving up on Clarke seems like an odd move, but they have plenty of other options at the center spot. Steven Adams is crucial to their success, Xavier Tillman showed out in the playoffs, and both Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama play some big man minutes.

Swapping Clarke for another wing player could make a ton of sense for Memphis, especially because Dillon Brooks won't be back in town (subscription required). Add in the fact that they would receive a first-round pick in the deal, and Memphis may not scoff at this framework.