Grade the Trade: Mavericks acquire star perimeter defender in mock blockbuster

Grading the trade for the Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks fielded a notoriously porous defensive unit this past season. Without any true defensive playmakers, the Dallas defense ranked near the bottom in both steals and blocks per game. Also, the unit was bottom 10 in defensive rating.

Although Dallas allowed the fifteenth fewest points per game, they played at the third slowest pace in the NBA, skewing their points allowed per game numbers. If you were to look at Dallas' stats per 100 possessions, the Mavs allowed the seventh most points per game.

Besides Josh Green, who actually recorded a worse defensive rating than Tim Hardaway Jr. a season ago, the Mavs were without a true perimeter defender.

Green may be the most respected defender on the Mavs due to his athleticism and hustle, but his statistics tell a different story. The players Green defended combined to shoot 46.5 percent from the floor, But, whenever Green was the primary defender, his matchup shot 50.3 percent.

When dissecting Jrue Holiday's defensive ability, the average opponent he defended shot 47.9 percent from the floor. But, when Holiday was the primary defender, his matchup shot just 45.5 percent from the floor despite attempting 13.9 shots per game.

Holiday was one of twenty guards to play more than 40 games to force a negative two or less field goal percentage difference. And out of these twenty players, Holiday defended the most field goals per game.

The Dallas roster would shrink with this trade, as Green, Holmes, and Hardaway Jr. would depart to Portland. But, Dallas has the necessary reinforcements to counter this loss.

Holiday would join the starting lineup as a 6-foot-4 primary guard defender and tertiary playmaker. As good of a defender as Holiday is, he's no slouch on offense. Holiday averaged 19.3 points per game a season ago and shot 47.9 percent from the floor and 38.4 percent from three.

Considering that Holiday has been a lead guard for years, he's used to playing off-ball. Holiday shot a scorching 45.2 percent from three off the catch last season.

The Mavs would lose Hardaway Jr.'s shooting ability, but he does tend to be a streaky shooter. The Mavs guard shot 39.3 percent off the catch a season ago. Holiday is a valiant replacement to takeover Hardaway Jr.'s floor-spacing capabilities while adding extraordinary defense.

As for Holmes, he's likely the third center on the roster. Losing Holmes isn't going to drastically alter the Dallas roster and shedding his salary only helps in the present.

The biggest loss here, besides the improving Green, would be the 2027 first-round pick. The Mavs will only have two first-rounders over the next five years if they were to ship out their 2027 first-round pick and it's been reported that Dallas is being careful about trading it.

But this trade could be worth it.

Potential starting lineup: Kyrie Irving, Jrue Holiday, Luka Doncic, Grant Williams, Dereck Lively II

The Mavs receive a B+ for this trade. Losing the 24-year-old, extension-worthy Green hurts, as does their 2027 first-round draft pick. Hardaway Jr. and Holmes are definitely expendable, but the Mavs are certainly mortgaging some of their future for the 33-year-old Holiday.