It was just this time last year when Jason Kidd sat side by side with former Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison in a small room at Rocket Arena in Cleveland to explain the rationale behind trading Luka Doncic.
The memory still stings for most Mavericks fans, which is why there’s so much anticipation surrounding this year’s rapidly approaching trade deadline, set for 2 p.m. Thursday.
There are several players on the Mavericks who remain in trade rumors, but it’s still uncertain who will remain a member of the team when Dallas hosts the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center on the night of the deadline.
Dallas fell to 19-30 after Saturday’s loss to Houston and tied a four-game losing streak, which also occurred earlier this season in early November and late December.
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The Mavericks will conduct this year’s trade deadline under the leadership of co-interim general managers Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley, but governor Patrick Dumont will have the final say on any deals that may materialize.
“We’re all in constant communication to make sure that we’re doing the best that we can to put the team in the best position to be successful,” Finley told The News on Jan. 19. “If the communication we’re having is consistent, when we talk to other teams and agents, then I think that puts us in a good position to make a deal if you have to.”
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Anthony Davis, who hasn’t worn a Mavericks uniform since suffering a left hand sprain on Jan. 8, remains one of the team’s biggest mysteries since the franchise is expected to prioritize its roster around 19-year-old Cooper Flagg, who is coming off the best two-game stretch of his career.
Another injury to their big man may force the Mavericks to delay their trade talks to the offseason, when Davis is healthier. By then, the market could also be different. It’s possible that Dumont may want to see how his team looks with a trio of Davis, Flagg and Kyrie Irving, who is still without a timetable to return from ACL surgery.
There are other cost-cutting moves the Mavericks could orchestrate in the next three days that won’t require moving Davis’ $54 million salary, but could provide financial flexibility since they are just under the second apron of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.
Daniel Gafford is coming off one of his best games of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday’s loss to the Houston Rockets. It was a breath of fresh air considering the big man’s injury struggles this season, thanks to a lingering right ankle sprain suffered on the first day of training camp.
Should the Mavericks choose to keep Davis a member of the roster, they could opt to move Gafford, who signed a tradable three-year, $54 million extension last July.
With the emergence of two-way center Moussa Cisse, who possesses a high motor and elite athleticism, there may be a way to shed Gafford’s contract before his extension kicks in next season and convert their undrafted rookie big man to a standard contract on a much lower price.
Veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson is also a trade candidate since he’s in the second year of a three-year contract. Thompson joined a different version of the Mavericks in 2024 when they were a championship contender, but the circumstances have drastically changed. He’s making $16.6 million this season and could be moved if he desires another chance to compete for a fifth championship.
Another player that could find himself on the way out is D’Angelo Russell, who was signed in the offseason to fill the void at point guard left by Irving’s injury. However, Russell has only played 26 games this season, with three starts in November.
Russell hasn’t played in 15 of the last 16 games, which Kidd attributes to wanting to play the Mavericks’ younger point guards Brandon Williams and two-way Ryan Nembhard.
“We’re looking at going young with the group that we have,” Kidd said on Jan. 28. “D-Lo’s done everything, he’s a pro. He’s continuing to keep working on his game, and when his name is called, he’ll be ready.”
Russell has a $6 million player option for next season, which could make it difficult to move his contact unless he’s attached to any of the aforementioned trade candidates. Milwaukee was reportedly interested in Russell as a trade candidate in recent weeks.
Unlike last season, the Mavericks are expected to approach Thursday’s deadline with a delicate approach, careful to make any decisions that would be considered rash. Kidd is expected to offer guidance to the revamped front office, but he declined to address any of the speculation surrounding the trade deadline when asked on Jan. 22.
“This is a great time of the year for you guys with all the speculation,” Kidd said. “For us, it’s about game planning and being prepared and playing hard and having fun and sharing the ball. We can’t address all the speculation. That’s just part of the business and in that locker room, these guys know they have a job to do.”
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