Grade the Trade: Mavs land 3&D center in 3-team mock trade with Pacers, Raptors

The Dallas Mavericks have put all their energy into improving their roster this summer. They were undoubtedly disappointed with last season’s results, as they failed to even reach the Play-In Tournament.

With Luka Doncic at the helm and under contract for a few more seasons, their goal this summer was clear - put a contending team around their franchise superstar.

And so far this offseason, Dallas has succeeded in that goal. They’ve made a flurry of moves, all of which have drastically improved the ceiling of their current roster.

Dallas re-signed Kyrie Irving to a three-year contract, made trades for Grant Williams and Richaun Holmes, signed Seth Curry and Dante Exum, and drafted Dereck Lively II and Olivier Maxence-Prosper.

But the Mavericks may not be done.

While recent rumblings have indicated that the Mavericks are content with their current center rotation, there is definitely still room for improvement, especially if they don’t want to throw Lively into the fire right away.

Dallas’ sign-and-trade for Williams hard-capped them already, though, so they would have to find a perfect deal in order to make one, as it would cost a pretty penny.

That being said, there could be some trades out there that would be worth it for the Mavericks, especially if they can improve their center spot.

As the Toronto Raptors continue to pop up in trade talks, Pascal Siakam’s name is constantly thrown around, and while the Mavericks don’t have the assets to land the All-Star, they could benefit from a potential deal.

If the Raptors trade Siakam, Dallas should look to swoop in and land a starting center in a three-team trade, and this proposal, which also involves the Indiana Pacers, could be intriguing.

3-team trade with Mavericks, Raptors, and Pacers

In this trade, the Indiana Pacers would make a splash, trading for Pascal Siakam, while the Dallas Mavericks would benefit from the move, adding Myles Turner in the process.

This mock trade was concocted by Michael Mulford of Dallas Basketball, and it’s based on the recent rumblings that Siakam could potentially be on the trade block.

Long-time NBA insider Marc Stein reported in his newsletter, “The Stein Line,” that the Pacers could be a team that shows interest in trading for the Raptors All-Star, should he officially become available.

Siakam is coming off an All-Star season in Toronto. He averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 48.0% from the field and 32.4% from behind the three-point line.

As for Myles Turner, he just wrapped up a career year with the Pacers. The big man put up 18.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 54.8% from the floor and 37.3% from distance.

Meanwhile, Andrew Nembhard had a solid rookie season with the Pacers this past year, averaging 9.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 44.1% overall and 35.0% from deep.

Tim Hardaway Jr. would replace Buddy Hield in Indiana, though he’s not as good of a three-point shooter, while Jalen Smith could be another nice young piece for the Raptors.

Let’s grade this trade for each team involved, starting with the Raptors, then the Pacers, and finally, the Mavericks.

Grade the trade for the Raptors

For the Toronto Raptors, trading Pascal Siakam would signal a new era of basketball for the franchise, as they would be giving up on their star player and placing the organization on Scottie Barnes’ shoulders.

Incoming: Andrew Nembhard, Buddy Hield, Jalen Smith, 2025 First-round pick (via IND), 2027 First-round pick (Top-10 Protected via IND)

Outgoing: Pascal Siakam

While trading Siakam might be a scary thought for Raptors fans, now that Fred VanVleet has moved on, there may never be a better time for them to enter a rebuild.

Trading Siakam would allow them to stockpile a bunch of assets while turning to Barnes, Gradey Dick, and whatever young pieces they get in a trade to lead them into the future.

That being said, this isn’t really a trade that should interest them.

Andrew Nembhard is a great young player, but he seems more like a guy who could be an elite backup or a solid starter. Not the centerpiece of a trade for a two-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA forward.

The same can be said about Jalen Smith, who has shown some potential while in Indiana but isn’t quite good enough to be a top piece in this sort of trade.

If this is the path the Raptors choose to follow, they would have no real need for Buddy Hield. They could flip him in a separate deal, but at that point, he’s just salary filler in this trade.

Two firsts are fine, but overall, if the Raptors decide to trade Siakam, they should aim to get a larger return than this.

Potential starting lineup: Andrew Nembhard, Gary Trent Jr., Gradey Dick, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl

Grade: D+

Grade the trade for the Pacers

The Indiana Pacers would be getting the best player in this deal, and the cost wouldn’t be crazy, as they’d be giving up role players for a two-time All-Star in Pascal Siakam.

Incoming: Pascal Siakam, Tim Hardaway Jr., 2027 First-round pick (Top-3 Protected via DAL)

Outgoing: Myles Turner, Andrew Nembhard, Jalen Smith, 2025 First-round pick (via IND), 2027 First-round pick (Top-10 Protected via IND)

With Tyrese Haliburton already in place, the Pacers already have a star, but adding Siakam to the mix would immediately elevate them to the level of other playoff teams in the East.

Tim Hardaway Jr. could replace Buddy Hield in the rotation, and they would be getting a first-round pick, too. (In reality, it feels like the Toronto Raptors should be getting this first from the Dallas Mavericks instead of the Pacers.)

If this offer were to be placed in front of the Pacers, they would have to seriously consider it, but in the long run, it may be better for them to stick with their current core.

Siakam has made it clear that he might not sign an extension with whatever team trades for him, should he get moved, and for a young, rebuilding Pacers team, that sort of risk doesn’t seem worth it at this stage.

Adding Siakam would likely make the Pacers a playoff team (or at least a Play-In team), but it wouldn’t move the needle enough to make giving up multiple firsts and Myles Turner worth it.

Potential starting lineup: Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, Benedict Mathurin, Pascal Siakam, Jarace Walker

Grade: C+

Grade the trade for the Mavericks

If this trade got put in front of the Dallas Mavericks they should jump at the chance to put pen to paper before both other squads change their mind, as this would be an absolute steal.

Incoming: Myles Turner

Outgoing: Tim Hardaway Jr., 2027 First-round pick (Top-3 Protected via DAL)

Take a look at the incoming and outgoing parts in this trade for the Mavericks. Tim Hardaway Jr. and a protected first-round pick in exchange for Myles Turner?

Reports have already indicated that the Mavericks are likely looking to move on from Hardaway Jr., and all it would take to turn him into Turner would be a protected first?

That value is a bit absurd. It feels as though the Mavericks should have to throw in a pick swap and some other assets in order to make this deal fair, and those parts could be split between the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors.

But taking this trade at face value, this would be a crazy deal for the Mavericks, as it could solidify their starting lineup and make them a real contender in the West.

The defense of Turner, paired with the offensive firepower of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, would be incredible, and Dallas would have fixed their two biggest issues heading into the offseason - defense and the center position.

Potential starting lineup: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Josh Green, Grant Williams, Myles Turner

Grade: A+