With Finney-Smith off the board, Mavs should target this other ex-player instead

Despite being 20-13 on the season, the Dallas Mavericks are not fully satisfied with where they sit in the standings or their roster. Nico Harrison and company are always looking for ways to get better, and that won't change this season.

There have been rumors that Dallas is looking to upgrade their frontcourt ahead of the trade deadline, and one player who seemingly every fan wanted the Mavs to trade for was Dorian Finney-Smith. Finney-Smith spent six and a half seasons with the Mavs before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the Kyrie Irving trade, and fans have wanted him back in the 214 ever since.

Finney-Smith was a fan favorite for his entire stint with the Mavs, and his journey from being an undrafted player to a household name was magical to watch firsthand. Now, Los Angeles Lakers fans get the privilege of watching the 3-and-D specialist as the Nets traded him to Los Angeles over the weekend, and it may be in Dallas' best interest to make a similar move.

Mavericks should consider trading for Harrison Barnes

The Mavericks need a backup power forward to play behind P.J. Washington badly, and although they lost their chance at Finney-Smith, a different power forward may be right up their alley.

The San Antonio Spurs could end up trading Harrison Barnes ahead of the trade deadline, and he would quietly be an outstanding veteran addition for the Mavs. This season for the Spurs, Barnes is averaging 10.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from downtown, and he'd be the perfect fit off Dallas' bench at this point in his career.

A trade to Dallas would require Barnes to come off the bench for the first time since the 2015-16 season, but this seems like the best role for him. He is still an excellent cutter and shooter, and this would make him a seamless fit next to Luka Doncic once again.

He can also occasionally score off the dribble when needed, and he would be someone who can undoubtedly be relied upon in big moments and be a member of the playoff rotation. Barnes has played in 71 playoff games and his career, and he won the NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors in 2015.

If the Mavs found a way to pull off a trade for Barnes, he'd bring more scoring, basketball IQ, veteran leadership, and shooting to Dallas' bench unit, but he shouldn't be relied upon to be a defensive stopper at this point of his career. Barnes can still play solid defense and provide versatility on that end, and he thrives most when sharing the floor with other solid perimeter defenders.

Barnes has one more year on his contract after this season, and he is set to make $18 million this season and $19 million next season. This is a pretty penny considering that Barnes' production has dipped some over the last few years, but he would be a major upgrade to Dallas' bench unit.

The Mavericks could consider packaging Maxi Kleber, who has been in trade rumors over the last few weeks, in a deal for Barnes, and this type of move could be exactly what the Mavs need to load up ahead of the playoff push.