3 Dallas Maverick trade ideas that haven’t been talked about

With such a lackluster free agency class on the horizon, making a trade or two seems like a reasonable way to improve the Dallas Mavericks as they head into the 2020-21 season.

Most of the trade ideas that I’m a fan of will include us keeping Brunson, Maxi Kleber, and Dorian Finney-Smith. I don’t believe teams are going to have an easy time prying any of those guys away from Dallas, so I don’t believe trades that include them are super likely. I tried to suggest names and ideas that haven’t been tossed around as much.

Dennis Schroder

Schroder only has one year left on his contract. That’s huge for a Dallas team which seems to be positioning itself for the 2021 off season. I also think it’s important to note that Billy Donovan left the Thunder because he “didn’t want to be a part of a rebuild.” Add in the potential departure of Chris Paul, it’s safe to say that the Thunder will not find themselves in a position to be competitive in the playoffs come the end of the 2020-2021 season when Schroder’s contract will expire. He seems a reasonable candidate to get moved at some point.

Schroder averaged 19 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds per game last season which got him into the Sixth Man of the Year conversation. He’d be fantastic for the Mavericks off the bench, given his skillset.

A fair offer for Schroder (with mutual interest in an extension) would include Justin Jackson, Delon Wright, Jalen Brunson, and the Golden State 2^nd rounder (31^st overall pick). Personally, I’m very hesitant to give up Brunson, however a trade means you’ve got to give up something to get something.

Schroder could instantly come in and give the Mavericks a boost off the bench alongside Curry, assuming Dallas bring back Hardaway Jr. Moving those three players off the books would create an additional $15.6 million in 2021 free agency. I like the idea from a win now perspective, but from a future growth standpoint I don’t. I think Brunson has a lot of room to grow and I hope that he is a part of this team for the long-haul.

John Collins

This might catch people by surprise, but I think Collins is also a conversation worth having. The Hawks have the 6^th pick in the draft and are currently projected to take USC forward Onyeka Okongwu, a guy some believe he has a really high ceiling. After recently trading for Clint Capela, they certainly don’t need another starter-level forward if they plan to keep Collins around long term. Collins’ rookie deal will expire after next season where he will then become a free agent. The trade for Capela was said to come from a strong desire for an interior defensive presence, a foreboding sign for Collins.

Last year Collins averaged 21.6 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 block in 33 minutes per game while shooting 40 percent on 3.6 three-point field goals per game. He has incredible pick and roll numbers, a factor of his game that has become much more significant since the introduction of Trae Young. If it works with Trae, it would work with Luka Doncic. He would slide into Dwight Powell’s role quite nicely and he might just be better at that role. With one year left on his contract, I believe a fair offer would include Delon Wright, Justin Jackson, the 18^th overall pick, and the 31^st overall pick.

Luke Kennard

Luke Kennard is a very interesting player. He only has one year left on his contract where he will then become a restricted free agent. Given the Pistons current situation (they are on the road to no where), I think he could be a very reasonable target for Dallas.

He’s only 24 and I believe he could develop really well here. Tim Hardaway should be back, but once he opts into the final year of his deal, he’s likely to be included in every trade discussion right up until the trade deadline. Even if Dallas keeps THJ, Dallas still needs shooting perimeter players.

Kennard is 6”5 and shot 40 percent from the three-point line on SIX AND A HALF three-point attempts per game. Bringing him into a winning situation would help both us and him. With his contract expiring after spending time in Detroit, I think we could bring him back on a team-friendly deal. Again, he’ll be restricted, so we hold the power there in deciding what we’re willing to give him. I think a fair package would include Delon Wright, Justin Jackson, the 18^th overall pick and our 2022 1^st round pick (editor’s note: Dallas can’t trade this pick until draft night 2022 because of the Stepien Rule but I like the idea of trading for Kennard so post alternatives in the comments!).

Detroit currently holds the 7^th overall pick, so giving them a second first-round pick in this year’s draft along with other young/future assets in exchange for a one-year rental might be an intriguing offer for them to consider. Again, this trade would clear up approximately $14 million for Dallas in the 2021 offseason. A top priority for this team should be defense, but if Kennard is available at a reasonable price, I think Dallas would be wise to submit a bid.

You may sense a pattern with the offers I continue to put together. To reiterate, I don’t believe the Mavericks will include Brunson, Kleber, or Finney-Smith in any deal unless we’re getting our clear-cut third piece. I think the majority of offers we entertain will include the picks and/or Justin Jackson/Delon Wright, perhaps in return for other distressed assets.

What do you think? What other trade ideas do you really like?