Dallas Mavericks trade rumors: Cam Reddish deal has a holdup

The Dallas Mavericks want to improve their roster before the Feb. 9 trade deadline, but their front office is hesitant to trade away a first-round pick. Dallas needs a second star to pair with Luka Doncic, and they will have an opportunity to acquire one this summer if they have a full cupboard of first-rounders to offer. Can the Mavs find trades on the margins to upgrade before the deadline?

Cam Reddish is readily available. The 23-year-old has not played in a game since Dec. 3, and he does not appear close to breaking into the team’s rotation. Reddish’s days in the Big Apple are numbered, but what team trades for him before the deadline?

The Mavericks have been rumored to be interested, and the two sides have discussed a deal, but there is one major snag, according to Marc Stein on his new podcast #thisleague UNCUT. Get the latest here.

Dallas Mavericks trade rumors: Cam Reddish deal has a holdup

The Knicks have dropped their asking price for the former lottery pick, but the Mavericks are missing one key piece of the package New York desires. Read more from Stein below.

"The Mavs have tried because again the price is only a second-rounder. The problem the Mavs have is they don’t have that $5-6 million expiring contract like the Lakers did with Kendrick Nunn to make this deal easy. Initially, I heard that the Knicks wanted Reggie Bullock, who is a Tom Thibodeau favorite, but I’ve since heard that the Reggie Bullock fandom in the Knicks organization is not exactly unanimous, and it might be more the coach that wants him than the front office that wants him. So, the Mavericks have not been able to complete a Reddish deal."

Stein continued to talk about the Cavaliers' interest in the 6’7 wing, and why he expects Cleveland to make a trade for a wing before the deadline.

The Knicks do not want to take on any more salary for this year or long-term money, which leaves Dallas with virtually no options unless it is a multi-player deal. JaVale McGee’s salary would work, but he is in the first season of a three-year contract. The Mavericks are not trading Josh Green or Maxi Kleber for Reddish, and putting the contracts of Frank Ntilikina and Theo Pinson together is not enough to land the talented Knicks wing.

McGee’s contract became an anchor the moment he slipped out of the rotation early in the season. No team will be eager to take on his deal, and that limits Dallas from taking on players in Cam Reddish’s salary range.

The reports of talks is a positive sign. Fans know the Mavs front office is working hard exploring the market. Dallas will look to be opportunistic before Feb. 9, and supporters should not be surprised if an unexpected trade emerges in the final hours.

Will the Dallas Mavericks find a deal that works for Cam Reddish before the deadline? Could they make it part of a larger deal that nets them multiple pieces? Stay tuned because there promises to be plenty of rumors and analysis leading into this season’s trade deadline that fans will not want to miss.