Unreliability of 2 Mavericks makes trade deadline upgrade unavoidable

After defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 132-91 in blowout fashion, the Dallas Mavericks have positioned themselves for a potential NBA Cup playoff berth. The team is currently second in the West Group C bracket with a game tonight against the Denver Nuggets.

If Dallas can defeat the Nuggets, they will move to 2-1 in group-stage play. Their final matchup will be against the Memphis Grizzles on December 3.

Despite the Mavs winning three straight, they will have a tough battle against the Nuggets as they will be without superstar Luka Doncic. Doncic is expected to miss at least one week with a right wrist sprain which he injured in the win against New Orleans.

With Doncic's injury, this will not only clear up more time for reserves like Spencer Dinwiddie and Jaden Hardy, but it will give the team a better understanding of what moves they need to make when the trade deadline approaches.

Mavericks need to upgrade at the backup guard spot

Both Hardy and Dinwiddie have had their ups and downs throughout the start of the season. While Hardy has turned out to be the better of the two throughout the past 15 games, Dinwiddie has still proven to be a trustworthy veteran off the bench at times this year.

Against Oklahoma City last Sunday, the two guards poured in a combined 23 points off the bench. Not only did Hardy prove to be a vital piece off the bench, but he showcased his ability to be trusted within the Mavericks' nine-man rotation.

Despite the recent progression from Hardy, the Mavericks need to upgrade his role by making a trade this season if they want to get serious about winning a championship.

In a recent article by Bleacher Report, Dan Favale suggested that the Mavericks needed to upgrade the Hardy and Dinwiddie role by trading for another ball handler who can also play on the wing. With the team's clutch-time defensive woes and 3-point struggles, this move makes sense.

It's no secret, one of the Mavericks' biggest needs is to acquire another wing that they can plug and play off the bench. While Hardy and Dinwiddie have played well throughout the season, the Mavericks need stability and consistency off the bench, which they can find with a wing.

By no means does this mean the team needs to trade both Hardy and Dinwiddie to achieve this goal, but upgrading the Mavs' reserve minutes should be at the top of the list of team needs.

Through 15 games, the Mavericks rank top-10 in both offense and defense, but fans have seen the Mavs clutch time struggles time after time to know the Mavericks need to upgrade with defensive depth.

Acquiring a wing would not only give the team defensive depth but it could give the team yet another shooter from behind the arc.

This season, the Mavericks rank ninth in the Western Conference in 3-point percentage. This number is not only disappointing but it should be a sign to the front office that they need to upgrade with more consistent shooting.

Buying in on a mid-tier wing could give the Mavericks the flexibility they need to make another deep playoff run come April.