Mavericks emerge as favorites to trade for notorious forward

The Dallas Mavericks could decide to be players in the NBA trade market, especially since they have turned out to be contenders in the Western Conference early in the 2023-24 campaign. A possible target has emerged in Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.

Golden State seems unlikely to ship its star - for now. But with Green in the headlines for all the wrong reasons and the Warriors reeling in the standings, roster changes may be on the horizon.

Odds by Bovada have the Mavs as frontrunners to land the former Defensive Player of the Year should the Dubs decide to move on from him. At +210, Dallas has better odds of being his next possible home outside the Bay Area than the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Mavericks emerge as favorites to trade for notorious forward

Sitting in third place in the West with a 16-9 record, the Mavs have so far defied expectations. Even so, there are still plenty of holes on the roster that might prevent them from transitioning from fringe to legitimate contenders. A couple of them are the team's excessive reliance on one-on-one basketball on offense and lackluster defense.

While Dallas has a top-six offense, the squad collectively dishes out just 25.7 assists per game, good for No. 18 in the league. Mavs superstar Luka Doncic has already shown to be one of the most prolific scorers of this generation, and his backcourt partner, Kyrie Irving, is also a wizard with the ball.

However, top-rated defenses might be able to devise ways to solve the Doncic-Irving duo. Adding an elite playmaker like Green could give the star guards more scoring opportunities on the offensive end of the court.

Moreover, Dallas needs some reinforcement on defense, as it allows 117.1 points per contest, ranking 21st in that department this season. The front office might want to some players who have become trade-eligible since December 15, but the four-time All-Star could turn out to be one of its most intriguing trade prospects. His championship pedigree and two-way skills might prove to be complementary to what the franchise already has.

Perhaps a strength (or weakness, but a bit more on that later) that Green can help the Mavs with is his menacing reputation on the court. With Doncic's proclivity for trash-talking, the team might need an enforcer to protect and take the heat off its No. 1 guy.

Of course, that could end up backfiring for Dallas, as Dray's penchant for finding himself into trouble and getting suspended might hurt the squad's chances of going on a deep playoff run. 

Also, Green's contract might make it difficult for the Mavs to construct a trade package with salaries that work and that the Warriors would want.

Only time will tell what the organization does in the trade market in the following weeks. Stay tuned with us to stay updated about the Dallas Mavericks.