10 players the Mavericks should immediately look to trade for after Dec. 15

The Dallas Mavericks are sitting at 15-9 and fourth in the Western Conference after Thursday night's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Even though they lost last night, Dallas is playing at a high level even without Kyrie Irving and Josh Green, and the Mavs' next man up mentality is working out perfectly.

Dante Exum is someone who has benefitted from the various injuries the Mavs have suffered, as he dropped 26 points and went 7-9 from downtown against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

10 players the Mavericks should immediately look to trade for after Dec. 15

Even with Dallas playing so well, they could be a team that is active on the trade market starting today. Since today is December 15, it means that it is the first day for players who signed new deals this summer to be traded.

Dallas is seemingly always active on the trade market, and they have made two blockbusters over the last two seasons, including trading for Kyrie Irving and trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards.

Here are 10 players the Mavs should immediately look to trade for starting today.

10. Jalen McDaniels

Although Jalen McDaniels has tremendously underperformed for the Toronto Raptors this season, he is someone the Mavs could look to trade for to make a slight upgrade for the end of their bench.

This season, McDaniels is averaging 2.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.6 steals per game. He has only been playing 9.2 minutes per game since arriving in Toronto, but he has played great in years prior.

Last season for the Philadelphia 76ers, McDaniels was a key part of their rotation as he played 17.5 minutes per game and averaged 6.7 points per game.

A trade for McDaniels is intriguing because it provides the Mavs with some positional size. Dallas is a small team overall, and adding a 6-foot-9 wing to the mix would be beneficial. He is a solid scorer in transition and his ability to guard multiple positions would be valued tremendously on this roster.

Considering he is having such a slow start to the season, McDaniels could be someone that the Mavs could buy low for. He also plays extremely hard and is only making around $4.5 million per season for his newly signed two-year contract.

I don't see McDaniels being someone that Dallas pursues outright, but Dallas could help the Raptors facilitate some sort of three-team deal and land McDaniels in the process.

9. Dennis Smith Jr.

One of the most interesting parts of the Dallas Mavericks' roster is their logjam of guards off the bench.

Josh Green, Jaden Hardy, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Seth Curry all come off the bench, and all three of them deserve minutes. Whether that is in Dallas or elsewhere.

Three of these four guards are also offensively-focussed players, with Green being the only one who is a great perimeter defender. Trading for someone like Dennis Smith Jr. would give the Mavs another talented guard off the bench, but the difference is that Smith Jr. is an elite perimeter defender.

This season for the Nets, Smith Jr. is averaging 6.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 42.5 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from downtown. He has taken massive strides over the last two seasons, and bringing him back to Dallas would help Dallas' overall defense and give them someone who can defend at the point of attack.

Smith Jr. has also already played in Dallas, and he and Luka Doncic were close friends during Doncic's rookie year. It's unclear how much Brooklyn would ask for Smith Jr., but I could see Dallas pursuing him as the second piece in a deal if they were ever to pursue Dorian Finney-Smith.

Both players would help Dallas' defense and they both played for the Mavs earlier in their careers.

8. Bol Bol

Bol Bol's signing with the Phoenix Suns this past offseason was a move that was extremely hyped up. Some people thought that Bol would be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year, but so far, Bol has not been given the chance to play much at all in Phoenix.

Bol is averaging just 2.4 minutes per game and has only played in five games. He isn't even in the Suns' rotation at this point.

This is a massive shock, as Bol had an excellent season for the Orlando Magic last season and looked like he could be a great rotation piece going forward. The Magic gave him a chance that the Denver Nuggets never really did, and he thrived.

Last season for the Magic, Bol averaged 9.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. He is one of the most unique players in the NBA, and he would give the Mavs (once again) much-needed positional size.

Bol is a 7-foot-3 power forward, but he moves like a guard. His ability to score in the open floor is insane, as he is hard to stop in transition and has the length to finish extremely tough shots around the bucket.

Bol would be a fun piece to have in Dallas as he gives them size in the frontcourt and is only 24 years old. Having lineups of him and Dereck Lively II on the floor together would be intriguing on defense, and I think Luka Doncic could help him take his game to the next level.

Bol is also someone that the Mavs have targeted via trade over the last six months, and maybe they'll think about making a move for him again.

7. Jevon Carter

Jevon Carter is another player that the Dallas Mavericks should look to acquire via trade as he became eligible to be traded today, and it also works in Dallas' favor that he plays for the Chicago Bulls.

Both DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine have been in trade rumors recently, and if Chicago trades those two, they could look at trading many of their other players as well. Carter is the type of defensive-minded point guard that would thrive in Dallas.

This season for the Bulls, Carter is averaging 5.4 points, 0.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.5 steals per game while shooting 36.1 percent from downtown. I can't see Dallas targeting just Carter, but he would be a great pickup if they pursued someone like Andre Drummond or Patrick Williams.

Carter would fit great in Dallas due to his ability to hound ball handlers and his drive to shut down whoever he is guarding. He could care less about how many points he has. If Carter is having a great defensive game and his team is winning, he is happy.

Having someone like that in Dallas is important, due to the fact that Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are the stars of the team and take a majority of the shots. Having a guy who is all about defense playing next to those two would be a great fit, and Dallas likely wouldn't have to give up too much to get him.

6. Torrey Craig

Another Chicago Bulls player that the Dallas Mavericks should consider trading for is Torrey Craig.

This season in Chicago, Craig is averaging 5.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.6 steals per game while shooting 41.6 percent from downtown. Craig is having a great first season in Chicago, and he would be a great fit in Dallas if they were ever to pursue him.

Just like Jevon Carter, landing Craig would be much easier for the Mavs if they trade Zach LaVine and or DeMar DeRozan first. That would entail that the Bulls are entering a rebuild, meaning that Craig wouldn't do much good if they kept him.

Contenders would be calling the Bulls in an effort to trade Craig due to the fact that he is a great defender and stretches the floor on offense. You can never have too many 3-and-D players, especially when the playoffs roll around, and Craig has already played in 75 playoff games over his career.

Craig's ability to guard both forwards and guards on defense would be utilized in Dallas, and he would be amazing off the bench for this team. He also works extremely hard and brings the grit that playoff teams need deep into the season.

Craig is currently on a two-year deal with a player option after this season.

5. Jae Crowder

Jae Crowder is the second former Dallas Maverick to make this list, and I'm sure that every Mavs fan would welcome him back to Dallas with open arms.

This season for the Milwaukee Bucks, Crowder is averaging 8.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 53.2 percent from the floor and 51.6 percent from downtown. He is having a bounce-back season after only playing in 18 games last year.

Crowder has already been successful for Dallas early in his career, and just like many players on this list, his ability to defend and stretch the floor off the bench would help the Mavs prepare for the playoffs.

Standing at 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and weighing 235 pounds, Crowder has the perfect frame to be a versatile defender. He has proved that time and time again throughout his career and his extremely high 3-point numbers to start the year are intriguing as well.

When Crowder's name has popped up in trade rumors in years past, the team's asking price for him has been high, but this year he is on an expiring contract. Playoff teams would love to add Crowder to their rosters down the stretch, and maybe Dallas can pull off a trade that brings Crowder back to DFW.

4. Cam Reddish

Another 3-and-D wing joins this list, but this player may be a little harder to acquire than the aforementioned Jae Crowder.

Cam Reddish is having a great year for the Los Angeles Lakers, and having him as a bench piece for the rest of the season would be huge for the Dallas Mavericks, as he brings everything you need out of a 3-and-D wing.

This season for the Lakers, Reddish is averaging 7.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from downtown. He has significantly improved on the defensive end, and he is showing out now that he is playing for a contender.

Although the scoring numbers don't show it, Reddish has been a crucial piece for the Lakers this season. He is playing 24 minutes per game and has started in 14 games. He has quickly outplayed his veteran's minimum contract and has climbed up the depth chart since being in Los Angeles.

The Lakers will likely be extremely cautious about trading for Reddish, especially since they will likely be right in the thick of the playoff race once the trade deadline rolls around, but Reddish would be a massive pickup for Dallas if the Lakers were to ever be shopping him.

3. Patrick Beverley

Patrick Beverley is mostly known for his nonstop trash talking and presence as a menace on the floor, and he would be a great pickup for the Dallas Mavericks if the Philadelphia 76ers thought about moving him at some point soon.

This season for Philly, Beverley is averaging 4.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.5 steals per game while shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 32 percent from downtown. Beverley's hustle, defense, and ability to lead a unit off the bench is intriguing, but is he worth the distraction?

Beverley is always talking trash and pulling antics, and some could consider him a distraction. Although his distractions have gone down over the years, there is still a risk there, considering the type of player he is.

Overlooking the distractions, Beverley is a high-level role player who has the type of playoff experience that any team would like. He has played in 65 playoff games over the course of his career and has started in 54 of them.

He brings elite physicality, defense, and intensity and would be a great fit off the bench in Dallas if they decided to make a move for him. Just like a handful of the players on this list with him, I don't think it would be easy to land him, but he would be a good fit if they could find a way to bring him to Dallas.

2. Dennis Schroder

Another pesky guard who is eligible to be traded today is Toronto Raptors guard Dennis Schroder.

Schroder would definitely be harder to land in a trade than Patrick Beverley due to how well he is playing, but the fact that multiple of the Raptors' star players could be on the move this deadline could open up an avenue for Dallas to get involved as a third team to pursue him.

This season for Toronto, Schroder is averaging 15.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game while shooting 42.1 percent from the field. Schroder has started in all 24 games for the Raptors so far, and he would be a great fit for the Mavs off the bench.

With Dallas' starting guards consisting of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavs would then have another great guard to lead the second unit in Schroder.

Obviously, Dallas needs forwards much more than guards, Schroder could be someone Dallas looks at if they send some of their other guards elsewhere in a separate trade. Schroder's defense, IQ, and facilitating would help him thrive in Dallas, as he would be surrounded by shooters.

Although the fit on the court would be great, there could be some pushback on making a move for Schroder due to some of his actions off the court this summer. He made some out-of-pocket comments about Mavs forward Maxi Kleber regarding him not participating for Germany, and if things haven't blown over there yet, this could make things weird in the locker room.

1. Taurean Prince

Another hard get that makes this list is Los Angeles Lakers forward Taurean Prince. Just like Cam Reddish, I don't see the Lakers trading him, but I think Dallas could really use a player like Prince.

This season for the Lakers, Prince is averaging 9.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. He has been an elite role player for Los Angeles so far and has started in every game so far.

Prince is a 6-foot-7, 218-pound wing, and the Mavs could use this type of player to come off the bench. With Maxi Kleber being injured for a majority of the season, the Mavs have had to lean on Markieff Morris some when they need size off the bench.

Morris is an end-of-the-bench type of guy, and adding a better player that can take his minutes would benefit Dallas. That player will likely be Kleber once he returns, but he hasn't been great this season in his minutes either.

Prince would be a great floor spacer and defensive piece for Jason Kidd to throw into the mix, but acquiring him would be easier said than done. The Lakers would likely ask a heavy price for him via trade, and the Mavs may not have the assets to make this move possible.

Will the Dallas Mavericks make a move before the trade deadline, or will they roll with the roster they have now?

For all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.