Perfect trade for Dallas Mavericks to rejuvenate their defense is clear

With the NBA offseason officially beginning over a week ago, the Dallas Mavericks will be amongst a slew of teams looking to make their roster better before the upcoming NBA season tips off. The Mavericks were one of many teams this past season to surprise fans when they made it to the NBA Finals and lost to the Boston Celtics in five games.

Despite falling short of a championship this past season, there were many positives the team can take headed into the offseason. One positive the Mavs can take headed into the summer is the progression of Dereck Lively II. Lively II not only surprised many with his instant effect on the floor to begin the season, but Lively II flashed an ability to become a potential floor spacer with his 3-point shot next season.

As the Mavs scope the NBA landscape for potential upgrades at positions of need, one player could be on his way out in a potential deal. Longtime Maverick Tim Hardaway Jr. has been rumored to be on the trading block this offseason, and after a disappointing postseason, his departure seems almost inevitable.

Matisse Thybulle is perfect trade target to help Mavericks defense

A team to keep close tabs on for potential deals with the Mavericks could be the Portland Trail Blazers as the two were rumored to be in contact with one another. With the Blazers entering a period of rebuilding within the franchise, they could look to shop around forward Jerami Grant who would be the perfect third star Dallas needs to make a legitimate playoff push, and Dallas has already shown interest in him.

If Dallas and Portland are staying in close contact with one another, an additional player could be thrown into a potential trade for Grant. This player could be Matisse Thybulle, who has had deep connections with Dallas in past offseasons. Just as early as last summer, the two parties agreed to sign a three-year contract before the Trailblazers matched Dallas' offer sheet, which kept the fifth-year vet in Portland.

Thybulle would have been the perfect addition to Dallas at the time and would have been a crucial piece in the Mavericks' run to the Finals had he been on the roster. Thybulle is a multiple-time All-NBA Defensive Second Team player with his time in Philadelphia and has worked hard on his offensive game. A large reason Thybulle had a falling out with the Sixers was due to his offensive repertoire being so limited.

Since spending time in Portland Thybulle's offensive game has only grown. Last season Thybulle shot close to a career-high from behind the arc at 34.6 percent on decently high volume in a Trail Blazer system that didn't rely heavily on the three ball.

In Dallas, Thybulle would thrive on both ends of the floor. He would be a great addition to the Mavericks' deep wing rotation and would star as one of the Mavericks' top defensive players any time he was on the floor. In the Mavs offensive system, he would get many wide-open looks from the corner off Luka Doncic drives, and Kyrie Irving dishes. In Dallas' system, Thybulle may see another offensive jump similar to what he saw when he was first traded to Portland.

Thybulle would fill many of Dallas' needs if he were to be traded for this offseason. As it currently stands, the Mavericks have yet to make a move, but rumblings indicate this won't last much longer. It's clear that Thybulle badly wanted to become a Maverick last offseason, and this summer could be the perfect time to do it.

Dallas' defense was excellent towards the end of last season and into the playoffs, and a player like Thybulle could help this defensive dominance continue.

For more updates on the Dallas Mavericks and their off-season moves, stay plugged in, as we will have you covered.