NBA Trade Grades: Dallas Mavericks take flier on Willie Cauley-Stein

In their second NBA trade of the day Friday, the Dallas Mavericks will flip a 2020 second-round pick to the Golden State Warriors for center Willie Cauley-Stein.

The Dallas Mavericks made a couple of moves Friday to address their need for frontcourt depth after the injury to Dwight Powell, picking up Willie Cauley-Stein from the Golden State Warriors. The Mavericks will send a second-round pick originally from the Utah Jazz in the 2020 NBA Draft to the Warriors in the swap.

This came shortly after the Mavericks sent rookie forward Isaiah Roby to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Justin Patton.

The trade was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on the compensation for Cauley-Stein.

Later, Bobby Marks of ESPN talked about the salary implications of the deal for the Mavericks and that Patton was on his way out before he ever really made his way in.

Marks reported the Mavericks will use the $11.7 million trade exception they got last year from the Harrison Barnes trade to acquire Cauley-Stein. That exception would have expired on Feb. 7.

Powell was lost for the season after he ruptured an Achilles tendon in Tuesday’s loss to the LA Clippers. Dallas used Kristaps Porzingis as the starter at the 5 in their win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night, but Porzingis — because of his still-slight build and history of knee problems — is likely better served by playing the bulk of his time at the 4.

Here’s how the trade grades out.