Rumors: Mavericks 'would love' to trade for elite shot-blocking center

The Dallas Mavericks have undoubtedly improved their center rotation this summer.

They signed Richaun Holmes, drafted Dereck Lively II, and re-signed Dwight Powell. Adding Holmes and Lively II to play alongside Powell is a step in the right direction, but it may not be enough improvement.

Dallas has been in trade rumors all summer for a new big man, and their interest in trading for a new starting big man is still strong. Although it's beginning to seem like trading for Deandre Ayton is out of the picture, there's one other big man on the trade block that Dallas seems to want.

Rumors: Mavericks 'would love' to trade for elite center

The Mavericks have been in trade rumors for Clint Capela since the time of the draft, and it seems like Dallas still wants to make a deal happen for the 10th-year big man.

Marc Stein was on his weekly radio show "The Saturday Stein Line with Marc Stein" and said that Dallas "would love" to be able to trade for Capela.

"They (Dallas) would love if the chance to make another run at Clint Capela from the Atlanta Hawks materializes. "

- Marc Stein

Stein then talked about some hypothetical scenarios in which Dallas could acquire Capela, which included a three-team trade or trading him to a team and then that team later trading him to Dallas.

Capela's route to Dallas is unknown right now, but it's apparent that Dallas wants to trade for him if possible.

Last season for the Hawks, Capela averaged 12.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. He would be the perfect center to pair with Luka Doncic, and he seems to be the Mavs' top trade target right now.

Regardless of how well Capela would fit with Doncic, the route to acquire Capela still seems rocky. The easiest way to trade for him would be as a third team in a three-team trade, and Dallas likely wouldn't want to offer a massive trade package if they made a trade outright with Atlanta.

They balked on trading Josh Green and pick No. 10 to Atlanta on draft night in a deal for Capela, and I don't see them wanting to trade Green or the 2027 first-round pick for him. I could be wrong, but Dallas is reportedly being "incredibly cautious" about trading that pick, and they already refrained from trading Green on draft night.

Things could change, but I see the most likely way to acquire Capela being as the third team in a blockbuster trade with Atlanta and another team.

Will Luka Doncic land a new pick-and-roll partner next season in Capela?

Will Dallas trade one of their top assets?

Both questions will be answered eventually, and we'll have you covered with the answers. Stay tuned to see if the Mavs can give Luka Doncic the best center he has ever played with in Clint Capela. That would be an outstanding duo, and the Mavs would have an excellent big three in Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Clint Capela.