Grade the Trade: Mavericks acquire forgotten Kings big man to boost depth

The Dallas Mavericks are searching for upgrades after missing the playoffs entirely. Luka Doncic is unquestionably one of the best players in the world, but his supporting cast was not good enough. Defense, rebounding, and rim protection are musts if Dallas is going to get back to the playoffs in 2024.

Number one on the offseason agenda is re-signing Kyrie Irving. The eight-time All-Star is an unrestricted free agent and in no hurry to make a decision. He wants a max contract, but is anyone willing to give it to him after his turbulent three and a half years in Brooklyn? The Mavs are hoping to keep him, but that is far from a guarantee at this moment.

Dallas cannot be satisfied with just bringing back Kyrie. They need upgrades too, and none more than a new starting center. Could the Mavericks try to acquire a big man that got buried on the Kings' bench as they ended their playoff drought? Here is a look at an outside-the-box idea from The Athletic’s Tim Cato (subscription required).

Dallas Mavericks take a chance on Richaun Holmes to fill center void

Cato went through a bunch of Mavericks' offseason hypothetical trades, including some featuring the tenth overall pick. Dallas needs talent, especially on the wings and in the paint. They attempted to add JaVale McGee to be their starting center last summer, but it did not work as planned. The Mavs must find a new starting big man, but could they gamble on Richaun Holmes? Here’s the deal Cato outlined.

Holmes was the Kings' starting center before they traded for Domantas Sabonis in 2022. He was immediately demoted to the bench, and the 29-year-old big man slipped out of Sacramento’s rotation entirely after eight games last season. Could he still be a productive big man with a change of scenery?

Here is a look at this trade from both teams’ perspectives to see if it is something they should explore this offseason.

Would Sacramento Kings trade Richaun Holmes to Dallas Mavericks?

Holmes is owed $12.0 million next season, and he has a $12.8 million player option for the 2024-25 campaign. He played just 348 minutes last season and has taken part in more than 45 games just once in his four years in Sacramento. The Kings would love to take that $24.8 million off their books.

Sacramento remade their offense under head coach Mike Brown. They want to play fast and fire 3-pointers. The Kings were sixth in the NBA in 3-pointers attempted and ninth in 3-point percentage last season.

Davis Bertans is a sharpshooter, but he would not play a massive role in Sacramento. He is owed $17 million next season and has $5 million of his contract guaranteed for the 2024-25 campaign. The Kings would be saving a bit of money, and they could likely dump Bertans to keep the $5 million off their books in year two, but they would not be getting any more production.

The only reason to make this move is to clean up their cap sheet, especially as they look to reward Sabonis with a new deal. The Kings are currently under the cap, but they need to work out a new contract for Harrison Barnes. Sacramento likely would not be totally against this trade, but they would prefer to get more value in return for Richaun Holmes in a larger deal.

Would the Dallas Mavericks make this trade?

The Mavs would be trading one undesirable contract for another here. They tried to make things work with Christian Wood last season and fans saw that blow up in their face. Holmes is a better rim protector and shot-blocker than Wood, but the 6’10 big man was not playing in Sacramento for a reason.

It is difficult to justify this trade if Richaun Holmes does not become at least the backup center in Dallas. He is owed $24.8 million over the next two seasons, and the Mavericks need production. It would be fantastic to get off of Bertans' contract, but not at the expense of putting another anchor on their cap sheet.

Dwight Powell and Wood are both unrestricted free agents this summer. That means Dallas needs a starting and backup center. How much does Richaun Holmes have left in the tank? If it is something, this trade is worth exploring, but there would be plenty of bust potential in a summer where the Mavs have to nail their moves or they could lose their best player.

Grade: C-

The Dallas Mavericks will explore every avenue this summer as they look to improve their roster around Luka Doncic. Expect the franchise to be active and aggressive. What moves can they make? Stay tuned to find out.