Ranking the Dallas Mavericks' top 5 reported trade targets by potential fit

The Dallas Mavericks have been in a perpetual state of mediocrity over the last 10 games as they've gone 5-5. Dallas is suffering injuries to key role players seemingly every week as of recently, so their hand could be forced to try and make a trade ahead of the February 8 deadline.

Kyrie Irving has been playing excellent recently, but Dallas is having a hard time generating offense outside of Irving with Luka Doncic currently out due to an ankle injury. This begs the question of whether or not Dallas should focus on adding someone who can provide some offense ahead of the deadline in case one of their stars unfortunately misses significant time due to injury.

Ranking the Dallas Mavericks' top 5 reported trade targets by potential fit

Dallas' defensive issues have been talked about enough, so we know they are seeking to add some length and size defensively, particularly at the three or four spot. Only time will tell what the Mavericks will do before the deadline, but we can speculate and rank their trade targets in the meantime.

Here we rank the Mavericks' top five reported trade targets from worst to best on-court fit.

5. Buddy Hield

Buddy Hield has been on Dallas' radar since before the season started, as it almost seemed inevitable that the Indiana Pacers were going to ship out the 31-year-old guard before the start of the season. Dallas' interest in Hield came as a surprise to many given that they have a player of relatively similar skillset on their roster in Tim Hardaway Jr., so it seemed that Hardaway Jr. would definitely be going back to Indiana if the Mavs traded for Hield.

Hield is averaging 12.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game for Indiana this year and is still staying true to the hallmark of his game by shooting 38.1 percent from downtown on 7.3 attempts per game. Hield is a dynamic movement shooter and is arguably better at working off the catch than even Hardaway Jr., as he's shooting 40.2 percent on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers compared to Hardaway Jr.'s 36.4 percent.

Dallas can never have enough shooting and adding Hield to this roster would epitomize that, but his deficiencies in other facets of the game wouldn't make him worth trading for given the level Hardaway Jr. is playing at right now. It's well documented that Hield isn't the best defender, and Dallas is looking for defense in any trade they make so they'd likely try to expand the deal in a potential Hield trade if they even tried it.

Indiana is demanding a hefty asking price for Hield and they seem much more content on keeping him given their success up to this point in the season, so it seems like there probably won't be any traction on a Hield-to-Dallas trade anymore. Hield isn't a bad fit whatsoever as his shooting would be invaluable for any prospective playoff team, but Dallas has more pressing needs at the moment.

4. Isaiah Stewart

The Dallas Mavericks have desperately been seeking another big man in their lineup, and their answer for that issue could come from a Detroit Pistons team that is on the brink of one of the worst seasons in NBA history. Detroit has nothing to lose in parting with some of its assets for future draft capital, so perhaps Dallas could restart talks on a potential deal to bring back Isaiah Stewart in a trade.

Dallas reportedly had heavy interest in Stewart in the middle of December, but there hasn't been any update on the situation since. Stewart recently just returned from a toe injury that's kept him out since December 26, and is averaging 10.6 points and seven rebounds per game this season.

Stewart has extremely good size at 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds, and he's a coveted young asset because of his versatility on offense. Stewart is shooting a career-high 39.6 percent from beyond the arc this season, to go in tandem with an already established face-up and post-up game. Stewart is a stout force in terms of his interior man-to-man defense, but he's admittedly not the quickest at guarding on the perimeter.

Stewart would likely back up Lively II if he was traded to Dallas at center given the Mavericks glaring need for another capable big man, as Dallas would have two prospective big men both under the age of 23. Stewart is misplaced in a crowded Pistons frontcourt, and even though Detroit parted with Marvin Bagley III in a trade this weekend, they brought back another big in Mike Muscala in the same deal. Stewart is certainly more gettable for Dallas compared to the latter of the remaining names on our list, but he also wouldn't be nearly as game-changing.

3. Dorian Finney-Smith

It's well known that Dallas paid quite the opportunity cost by adding Kyrie Irving to this team, as Dorian Finney-Smith is having possibly the best season of his career thus far for the Brooklyn Nets. Finney-Smith is averaging 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game on an average of 28.4 minutes per game this season whilst shooting nearly 41 percent from 3-point land.

Finney-Smith has been getting less minutes recently after a few really rough shooting performances at the beginning of December, but rest assure that the Nets' asking price for the 30-year-old forward is still really steep. Brooklyn is reportedly commanding two first-round picks for Finney-Smith ahead of the February 8 trade deadline, but that asking price could certainly go down if the Nets continue to spiral south of .500 and want to get off one of their many wings before the trade deadline

Dallas has already registered interest in retaining Finney-Smith's services, so it would be no surprise if they made a move for him given the glaring hole he left at the four spot. Dallas needs a lengthy and stout wing who is a capable rebounder next to Dereck Lively II in the frontcourt, and Finney-Smith could step in right away and fill that role seamlessly.

Finney-Smith is having his best shooting season of his career and knows Dallas' offensive system to a tee so he'd be a perfect fit, but there are two players on our list who could do even more for Dallas.

2. Pascal Siakam

Pascal Siakam has been one of the hottest names this NBA trade season and the Dallas Mavericks have arguably mentioned most heavily as a potential suitor for Siakam. This doesn't come without a lot of stipulations though, as acquiring Siakam won't be an easy task for a variety of reasons.

Nonetheless, some members of the Mavericks organization believe Pascal Siakam could be the missing piece toward the formation of a championship-level squad, so how would Siakam be utilized if he was traded to Dallas? Siakam would play the four on defense, as his mobility with a 7-foot-3 wingspan would be invaluable for Dallas in terms of guarding opposing teams' best wing players.

Siakam would be far less essential to the Mavericks' offense compared to Toronto's, so he could really hone in on defense with Dallas. Offensively, Siakam would be the secondary playmaker that Dallas needs in their starting lineup and more. Siakam is an extremely crafty finisher and is very adept at exploiting mismatches in one-on-one scenarios.

Siakam has drastically improved as a playmaker as well, as he's averaging nearly five assists per game this season. Between Siakam, Irving, and Doncic, Dallas would have an abundance of offensive creators in the lineup, but would be nearly devoid of any elite catch-and-shoot players in their starting lineup as well barring Irving.

Getting Siakam may make Dallas' contenders if they don't concede too many assets back to Toronto in a potential trade for him, which will be tough considering Raptors' executive Masai Ujiri's notorious steep demands. Siakam is nearly an ideal fit, but there's one player on our list who might even fit better in Dallas.

1. Jerami Grant

Dallas is doing anything they can to upgrade at the power forward position and they aren't stopping the phone calls at Pascal Siakam. Shams Charanaia reported just last week that Dallas has also registered interest in Blazers forward Jerami Grant.

Grant is averaging 21.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game for Portland this year while shooting 41.1 percent from outside.

Grant has been carrying the 10-28 Blazers alongside Anfernee Simons, so he's had to incur a far greater workload offensively than he would with a playoff team like Dallas. Grant would be the perfect multi-dimensional 3-and-D wing that Dallas wants in a vacuum.

Grant might be an even better defender than Siakam, but more importantly he's a far better shooter and nearly as dynamic in all other areas. Grant is an excellent cutter as well, and would benefit a lot by getting to work off-ball in Dallas with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving running the show. Grant could still provide some tertiary playmaking if he was shipped to the Mavs, but it's not his speciality. He has a profound one-on-one game and can score in the mid-range though, which isn't common in today's NBA.

The main issue with trading for Grant is the egregious five-year, $160 million contract that he's in the first year of, as Dallas would have to sling together a big package to match Grant's dollar figure in a trade. Dallas also likely doesn't have the best package in a trade for Siakam or Grant compared to other teams, so they can't deconstruct their entire roster just to fix one hole.

Grant may be a better on-court fit than Siakam, but there have been concerns over his willingness to play second-fiddle on a playoff team, so who knows if he'd even be happy with a trade to Dallas. Siakam would also be better for when one of Irving or Doncic is out as he would be far more effective as a secondary initiator compared to Grant, but overall, Dallas can't deny how good of a fit Grant is on the court and they'd be remiss to not try and see if Portland's asking price will come down before the deadline.

For more on what the Dallas Mavericks will do ahead of the trade deadline, stay tuned to us as we'll have you covered.