NBA Insider reveals shocking trade package proposed by Mavericks that almost happened

Will Miller

Washington Wizards v Charlotte Hornets / Jacob Kupferman/GettyImages

After going on a seven-game winning streak that stood tall through the trade deadline and All-Star break, the Dallas Mavericks have lost five out of their last six contests, as the Mavericks defense has suffered immensely in this recent stretch against Eastern Conference opponents.

Dallas made trades to address some of their defensive shortcomings during the trade deadline by adding P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford to the roster, but amidst questionable rotations from Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd as well as less-than-ideal defensive effort across the board in this recent stretch, those moves haven't moved the needle for Dallas on defense barring the first few games after the trade deadline.

The Mavericks have a lot to figure out going forward if they want to have a chance at a competitive playoff run whatsoever, as the Western Conference is as talented as it's ever been. On the bright side though, Dallas did add some talented defensive personnel during the trade deadline, and they have the depth on paper to be much better than they have shown during this recent stretch.

NBA Insider reveals shocking trade package proposed by Mavericks that almost happened

According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the Mavericks could be living in an entirely different reality right now though, as one trade package that Dallas had proposed to Washington during the deadline was on the verge of agreement, but subsequently declined at the last minute by Kyle Kuzma.

"The Wizards did have an option to trade Kyle Kuzma at the deadline to the Mavericks for Grant Williams and an unprotected first round pick...Kyle Kuzma decided to stay loyal, he wanted to remain and stick it out with the Wizards."@ShamsCharania on Kyle Kuzma and the Washington… pic.twitter.com/48zvU50qfw
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 5, 2024

The package that Charania said the Mavericks proposed for Kuzma was eerily similar to the package that Dallas sent out for P.J. Washington, but there undoubtedly would’ve been more moving parts in the deal if Kuzma was traded to Dallas, as Kuzma makes roughly $12 million more than Grant Williams.

Dallas was tactical in their approach to the trade deadline by acquiring both Washington and Gafford, and given Gafford was on the Wizards, who knows if Dallas still would’ve been able to negotiate with the Wizards’ front office to acquire their coveted backup center as well. Kuzma wouldn’t have solved Dallas’ defensive issues anyway, as the Mavericks have proved their problems on that end stem deeper than personnel in this recent stretch.

For more on the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the playoffs, stay tuned as we’ll have you covered.

Will Miller

Will Miller is a senior contributor and is in his second year with The Smoking Cuban. Will has been following the Dallas Mavericks for over a decade and is currently working on getting a Bachelors in Science in Sports Journalism from the University of North Texas, as he is also covering sports for the North Texas TV station. While Will is opening up his coverage to cover other sports for UNT, basketball and the Dallas Mavericks are his true passion and he hopes to continue writing and producing Mavericks related content as his career continues. Will has very solid in-game analysis and knowledge about the intricacies of the game, and has a very broad understanding about the NBA as a whole. Going forward Will is looking to be more expansive in his coverage of the Mavericks beyond writing as well. Outside of writing about the Mavericks, Will enjoys hanging with friends, going to the gym, and watching other sports and live events.