Dallas Mavericks Want To Win Now, All But Doncic And Porzingis On Trading Block

The Dallas Mavericks are not content to stand pat and wait for the NBA’s much-anticipated free agency period in 2021. Rather, they’re taking a win now approach to team building. That includes a willingness to trade everyone not named Luka Doncic or Kristaps Porzingis, according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.

According to unnamed league sources Townsend cites, Dallas is looking to add a third star to augment the likes of the aforementioned Doncic and Porzingis. More surprisingly, though, he says that the team is interested in moving up into the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery.

During owner Mark Cuban and GM Donnie Nelson’s tenure at the top of the organization, the Mavericks have never been one to sit and wait to see if a roster gels into a contender. Seemingly every summer, Dallas spends its time wheeling and dealing—often striking out—in free agency.

Therefore, the notion that the Mavs are looking to do whatever they can to win now isn’t unexpected. Just be sure to absorb the news with the appropriate amount of salt. The organization never likes to show its cards. Yet right now, it appears that outside factors are forcing their hand.

The Mavericks are on the clock. Even though the Western Conference is as daunting as ever, there’s an impetus for Dallas to be good now. Even though Doncic just completed his second season in the league, it’s clear that he’s the key to all future success the organization will see going forward. He’s a generational talent and oddsmakers already have him favored to win Most Valuable Player next season.

Doncic likely won’t be around forever, though. Dirk Nowitzki spoiled Mavericks fans by spending his entire 21-season career in Dallas. Expecting Doncic to follow suit is a tall order. However, if he does, there’s a good chance he’ll have a street named after him.

Dallas has at the very least two more years of Doncic. That’s when his rookie contract expires. However, the likelihood that he re-signs with the Mavericks is good considering how much more he stands to make by staying put. Still, if the Mavericks haven’t made a deep playoff run by that point, he could bolt to a team with legitimate championship aspirations.

It’s that line of thinking that surrounds another team’s star. Television pundits believe that two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will leave the Milwaukee Buck to team up with another star or two elsewhere. Some even suggest that Dallas is a possible destination for the Greek Freak. Given the talk surrounding Antetokounmpo and his uncertain future with the Bucks, it’s no wonder why the Mavericks have a sense of urgency to improve now.

Townsend suggests that Danilo Gallinari may be a possible target of the team given their desperate need for wing depth. Gallinari is coming off a season in which the 32-year-old averaged 19 points and shot 40.5% from deep. But Gallinari is likely not anyone’s notion of a third star. He’s more productive role player than anything at this point in his career.

Landing a star won’t be easy. Dallas likely won’t have any spare cap space next season, making signing players difficult. They’ll have enough for a mid-level exception—approximately $10 million. Further complicating matters is the issue of whether Tim Hardaway Jr. opts into the final year of his current contract. If he does, he’ll account for $20.8 million of the team’s payroll when factoring in his trade kicker. If Dallas gets anyone, it will be via trade in all likelihood.

Of course, there is still a lot the Mavericks and the league must finalize before any movement can begin. For starters, the NBA and its players have yet to agree on a salary cap for next season. Conventional thinking has around $115 million presently. Then there’s the fact that a date to begin free agency hasn’t even been set yet. There are rumors that it could begin a days after the NBA Draft, which will take place on November 18.

The biggest issue facing the league right now, though, is when it will start the 2020-21 season. There’s a possibility that it may get underway as soon as Christmas Day, but nothing is official yet.

When everything is set, the Mavericks should be in position to start making moves. Their window of opportunity is now and they have to start making inroads in acquiring better talent to vault themselves into a contender in order to appease Doncic. It’s an exciting time for the organization, but the path forward might be a whirlwind.