The Dallas Mavericks appear to be set for a bounce-back season.
After inexplicably trading away international superstar Luka Doncic, the Mavs are ready to take the NBA by storm with No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg and two-way star Anthony Davis. Unfortunately, point guard Kyrie Irving's season outlook remains unclear due to his knee injury suffered late last season.
D'Angelo Russell, whom Dallas signed as an Irving substitute, is far from a reliable everyday starter, and the Mavericks could look to acquire a better stopgap as they look to compete in a loaded Western Conference.
Mavericks Trade Idea Lands Lakers' Austin Reaves
In a trade idea proposed by Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley, the Mavs would ship Dereck Lively II and Caleb Martin to the Los Angeles Lakers for guard Austin Reaves and a 2031 first-round pick.
Lane Poffenberger of the Smoking Cuban endorsed the hypothetical deal, saying it makes a lot of sense for the team Dallas currently has.
"That’s where Austin Reaves comes in. At 27, he’s entering his prime and has shown he can score in the playoffs and serve as a secondary playmaker. Reaves can handle the ball, run pick-and-rolls, and create shots when the offense slows down." Wrote Poffenberger.
"Unlike some high-usage guards, Reaves doesn’t need to dominate the ball to be effective. He spaces the floor, makes quick decisions, and fits well with the stars. On a roster with Irving, Davis, Flagg, and Thompson, that type of skill is invaluable."
While losing Lively, Dallas' up-and-coming center, would be a tough pill to swallow for Mavericks fans, having Davis and Daniel Gafford already on the roster makes the former Duke star expendable.
With Irving missing most of, if not all of, the 2025-26 season, Dallas needs to be proactive and shore up any holes they currently have on the roster. Trading for Reaves would do just that.