Grade the Trade: Mavs land All-Defensive First Team guard in mock trade with Bulls

The Dallas Mavericks have made considerable changes to their roster this summer, and they look like a completely different team from last year.

Their biggest needs this summer were a new starting center, wing depth, and youth. We can safely say that they added two of those three needs in wing depth and youth.

On the wing, they added Grant Williams and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, two players under the age of 25 who will immediately be able to guard multiple positions.

When it comes to youth, they added three rookies in Dereck Lively II, Prosper, and Mike Miles Jr. (signed to a two-way contract). But when it comes to starting center, the Mavericks still don't have one.

They drafted Lively II, and he should be able to become the starting center in a few years and they traded for Richaun Holmes, but it is unclear at this point if either center will start this season. They could even start Dwight Powell again.

The Mavs are reportedly "content" with their center rotation if they aren't able to land one through a trade, but they could still look to add more depth on the wing. They've reportedly been interested in Kelly Oubre Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr. as of late, but no moves have happened yet.

In this upcoming mock trade, the Mavericks land a player who can guard multiple positions, knock down open shots, and throw down emphatic dunks, but they would lose a fan-favorite guard.

Here's a look at a trade between the Mavs and Bulls that helps both teams improve.

Dallas Mavericks land elite defender, Chicago Bulls land dynamic scorer in mock trade

In this trade originally proposed by Bleacher Report, the Dallas Mavericks land a top-five defender in the NBA, while the Chicago Bulls acquire a player that could bud into a future star in the NBA along with center depth and draft capital.

The Mavericks land a player that they can either start or bring off the bench in Alex Caruso, while the Bulls land someone who has the potential to be in the running for Sixth Man of the Year in Jaden Hardy, big man depth in JaVale McGee, and future draft capital.

Last season, Caruso averaged 5.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game. He was also part of the NBA's All-Defensive First Team along with Jrue Holiday, Jaren Jackson Jr., Brook Lopez, and Evan Mobley. This is an elite group, and it shows you how great of a year Caruso had on the defensive end of the floor.

On the other side of the deal, Chicago lands Hardy, one of Dallas' best young assets that will be a great piece if they decide to rebuild. They also land McGee, and he could play limited minutes at center behind Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond along with a 2025 second-round pick.

Next, we grade the trade for both sides and break down how each team would look following this mock trade.

Grading the trade for the Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls kept their core together in this trade, so it's already a plus for Bulls' fans, but does this trade really make sense if the Bulls don't decide to go into a rebuild?

Alex Caruso was Chicago's best defender last season, and trading him for a score-first guard doesn't make sense here. The Bulls have three clear score-first players in their starting lineup in Nikola Vucevic, Zach Lavine, and DeMar DeRozan, and adding another score-first player to come off your bench wouldn't be the best move for the Bulls.

Hardy averaged 8.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game during his rookie year in just 14.8 minutes per game. He also improved drastically as the season went on, and turned into one of Dallas' most consistent catch-and-shoot three-point shooters.

This wouldn't be a good move for Chicago as the roster is currently constructed, but it would be a good move if they move Lavine this summer. Hardy would give the Bulls a young player to add to their core and to build around with Patrick Williams, Coby White, and Vucevic. Chicago could also move on from DeRozan after next season and bring in a player who would be more fit for a rebuild.

The Bulls also land a 2025 second-round pick in this deal, giving them a draft pick in a year that they don't have one. Second-round picks are becoming more valuable by the year, and the pick would be a great addition to this trade for the Bulls.

Potential starting lineup: Ayo Dosunmu (if re-signed), Zach Lavine, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams, Nikola Vucevic

Hardy would come off the bench in this scenario and gives them a great microwave scorer to come in for Lavine or DeRozan. The Bulls get a B for this trade because they lose one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, but gain a good young piece that could develop into one of the best sixth men in the league in Hardy.

Caruso fits in Chicago well, and there isn't much of a reason to move him.

Grading the trade for the Dallas Mavericks

Let's start this off by saying it doesn't look like the Mavs want to deal Jaden Hardy.

Dallas gave up two future second-round picks last year to trade into the draft to take him, and he is turning into one of their most reliable scorers and players off the bench. He is also only 21 years old and is just scratching the surface of the NBA.

But in this proposed deal Dallas deals him to Chicago so we're just rolling with it.

Although losing Hardy would be a huge gut punch as he looks like he could have a great career in the NBA, the Mavs land Alex Caruso in this deal.

Caruso is one of the best defenders in the NBA, and Dallas could give him the assignment of defending the other team's best guard. This would allow Kyrie Irving or Luka Doncic to take an easier assignment while Caruso does the dirty work.

Caruso isn't the best offensive option, as he only averaged 5.6 points per game last season, but Dallas doesn't need offense. They have two of the best scorers in the NBA in Irving and Doncic, and Caruso wouldn't be tasked with much of an offensive workload. He would just have to hit an occasional three, run in transition, and play defense.

Potential starting lineup: Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Josh Green, Grant Williams, Richaun Holmes

The Mavs could choose to start Caruso over Green for a small ball lineup, but in this scenario, we have him as the sixth man. The Mavs' starting center spot is also up in the air.

Since the Mavs are clearly trying to get younger and view Hardy as a key piece of their future, they get a B- for this trade. They land an elite defender in Caruso, but he's already 29 years old, and you know what you're going to get out of him. This trade also allows them to shed JaVale McGee's contract, but it seems that he'll be waived rather than traded, as there has been no reported interest in him.

Hardy on the other hand could turn into a future All-Star, and the Mavs likely won't risk losing him for a veteran guard in Caruso.

If the Mavs made another move to land a win-now player, Caruso could make sense if he was the missing piece to winning a championship. But with how this offseason is going, trading Hardy doesn't seem like the best move. This trade would be better if they landed Andre Drummond in the deal as well, but this trade doesn't make a ton of sense for Dallas right now.