Did the Mavericks make the right move with Jalen Brunson at the trade deadline?

The Dallas Mavericks had an eventful deadline day, which featured the team trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Wizards for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans. They moved off KP’s max contract in search of future flexibility as they look to build their roster around superstar Luka Doncic. Finding the right pieces to make the Mavs a championship contender will not be easy and massive decisions lie ahead this summer.

Jalen Brunson has played his way into the starting five this season. He transformed into the team’s second-best player and a much-needed ball-handler and playmaker next to Doncic. Brunson is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and the Mavericks will not have cap space to replace him if he decides to sign elsewhere.

Dallas had plenty of offers on Brunson ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline, but they decided to keep the 25-year-old guard. Was that the right move for the franchise? Let us take a closer look.

Did the Dallas Mavericks make the right move with Jalen Brunson at the trade deadline?

The Knicks and Pistons were rumored to have the most interest in Jalen Brunson. Detroit will have cap space this summer and could chase him on the open market. New York reportedly offered (subscription require) the Mavs a chance to re-acquire their 2023 first-round pick in a deal for JB, and the Knicks could try to put together a sign-and-trade package in the offseason.

The Dallas Mavericks took a short-term step backward by dealing Porzingis at the deadline, so why didn’t they go all-in on that strategy and trade away Brunson? Was that the right move for the franchise? What is next for JB and the Mavericks? Let us take a look.