NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Teams That Should Trade For Goran Dragic
5. Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are in an interesting position, and not just because their 8-21 record is tied with the Phoenix Suns for the worst mark in the West.
The Mavs are clearly a bad team, but part of the problem is their point guards Deron Williams, J.J. Barea, Devin Harris and Seth Curry were banged up for a combined 44 games — and that doesn’t even take into account the 24 games Dirk Nowitzki missed.
Do the Mavs carry on with their unintentional tank job, running the risk of Dirk calling it a career after this season due to nagging injuries? Or do they notice that they’re only four games out of a playoff spot, swing a trade for a star point guard who can facilitate and try to get their big German one last playoff series?
If Mark Cuban and company believe Dirk will return healthy and they aren’t crazy about anyone in this year’s draft class, trading for Goran Dragic is one avenue they could take. Our first trade scenario involves Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut:
D-Will has played relatively well this season despite the injuries, averaging 13.9 points and 6.6 assists per game. He’d provide the Heat with a Dragic replacement for this season, and they wouldn’t have to worry about keeping him on since his contract expires this summer.
He could either start, or Miami could hand the reins over to Tyler Johnson, who’s played very well off the bench and could be on the verge of a breakout year.
Bogut is currently injured, he wouldn’t threaten Hassan Whiteside’s status as the team’s starting center, and his contract also comes off the books this summer. Perhaps he could teach Whiteside a thing or two in his time there, or Pat Riley could flip him in a separate deal to a team desperate for rim protection and rebounding.
If the Heat wanted more out of a potential Dragic deal than freed up cap space, swapping Seth Curry in Deron Williams’ place might also work. Curry isn’t the most attractive prize, but he’d continue to do a decent job coming off the bench and he’s a young player with potential.
In either case, Miami accomplishes its goal of getting Dragic’s contract off the books, while Dallas commits to one of two possible paths it could take after its brutal start to the 2016-17 campaign.
Unfortunately, the return on Dragic might not be great enough for Riley without a pick thrown in, and it’d be foolish for the Mavs to sacrifice a future pick — plus their shot at an attractive top-five 2017 pick from their tank job that’s already in progress — just for a first round playoff exit.