Grading every move the Dallas Mavericks made at the trade deadline

3. Trade with Oklahoma City

In what was likely the most minor transaction that the Mavericks made on trade deadline day, the Mavericks swapped their 2028 first round pick with the Oklahoma City Thunder as a means to acquire a 2024 first round pick from Oklahoma City. The Mavericks subsequently used the first round pick that they acquired fro the Thunder to trade to Washington in the Daniel Gafford deal.

Keeping in mind that the Wizards were extremely hungry for a first-round pick, Dallas found a creative way to manufacture a first-round pick to get the Gafford deal done, as they otherwise wouldn't have had the assets to trade for both Gafford and Washington. However, the Mavericks do give up an unprotected pick swap with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2028, which is also beyond the timeline of Luka Doncic's current deal.

Projecting what is going to happen four years from now as far as the Mavericks are concerned is pointless, but given the franchise's inability to build a championship roster around Doncic this far into his career, there could be skepticism that Doncic may leave in 2026 or 2027 free agency if the Mavericks continue to fall short of competing for a title.

However loyal Doncic appears, no one knows how a superstar player is truly feeling about their situation. However, the Mavericks are doing as much as they can to appease Doncic with the trade deadline moves they made this season, and making this 2028 pick swap with the Thunder was a necessary component of that. Dallas assumes some risk with this move undoubtedly, but they could've gave up second-round picks or a young player to make this deal work instead, so they get a B+.