Kristaps Porzingis drops 25 in Wizards debut as Mavericks continue to thrive

The Dallas Mavericks traded away Kristaps Porzingis and a protected second-round pick on deadline day for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans. They have won seven of their nine games since making the move, and the Unicorn finally made his Washington Wizards debut on March 6.

KP had not played since Jan. 29 because of a bone bruise in his right knee. Washington limited him to just 21 minutes in his debut, but the Unicorn showed his upside by dropping 25 points, hitting three 3-pointers, and blocking two shots. He was the Wizards leading scorer in their 133-123 win over former Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle and the Indiana Pacers.

Porzingis is a special talent, but the Mavericks are not looking back on the trade. His availability was an issue, and Dallas has more flexibility moving forward. Here is more on KP’s debut in Washington, and why the Mavs are happy with the early returns from the deal.

Kristaps Porzingis drops 25 in Wizards debut as Dallas Mavericks thrive

The Unicorn showed off his unique skill set in his first game with the Wizards. He was knocking down 3-pointers, protecting the rim, and getting buckets. It was what had the Mavericks believing he could be their second star and ideal fit next to Luka Doncic back in 2019 when they acquired him, but Porzingis played in 134 of a possible 200 games with Dallas after recovering from his torn ACL. The Mavs just could not count on him to be available in the most important moments.

KP also wanted to play a style that took away from what Luka and the Mavericks do best. He sought post-up opportunities and preferred to pop out instead of rolling to the rim. The Mavericks decided trading the Unicorn for two roles players who fit into their system was the best move at the deadline.

Spencer Dinwiddie has been outstanding in his first seven games with the Mavericks. His ability to attack the rim, get downhill, and make plays has been massive for Dallas. They have won six of his first seven contests with Dinwiddie averaging 17.6 points and 5.1 assists in 28.6 minutes per game.

The Dallas Mavericks are happy with the Kristaps Porzingis trade and wish him nothing but the best with the Washington Wizards. They have more flexibility to build a title contender around Luka Doncic moving forward and have two role players that could be difference-makers in the postseason.

The Unicorn will be looking to stay healthy and put it all together in Washington. Mavs fans should keep an eye on what KP can do with the Wizards as they enjoy seeing Luka play his best without the Unicorn in Dallas.