Grade the Trade: Mavericks land highly coveted wing in blockbuster deal

Would the Dallas Mavericks make this trade?

OG Anunoby is the perfect fit next to Luka Doncic, so the snap decision would be yes. Digging in further could create some hesitancy, though.

First, the 6’7 wing make $18.6 million next season, which is a bargain, but Dallas will have to pay him in the summer of 2024. If they keep Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks will be paying at least $110 million to three players. To avoid the second tax apron and the penalties that come with it, the rest of their roster will have to cost under $70 million.

Beyond that, the Mavs only have two first-round picks to trade this summer. Dallas puts all of their eggs in this basket. They will have to add wing depth, defense, rebounding, and rim protection in free agency with the taxpayer mid-level exception and minimum contracts. That will be next to impossible considering the Mavericks will not be title favorites.

Making this trade is a massive risk, and the Mavs may again have an unbalanced roster that OG Anunboy cannot fix. He would be the best perimeter defender that the Mavericks have had since Jason Kidd (subscription required), but one player does not make a unit. If Dallas still ranks in the bottom ten in defense, they will be back in the lottery next summer.

Grade: A-

The Dallas Mavericks dream of adding a wing like OG Anunoby, so they would make the deal and figure the rest out afterward. It is a massive win for the franchise, but the grade gets bumped down slightly because it is not enough to vault Dallas back into contention.