If everything goes right for the Dallas Mavericks, one could argue that they have a chance to win a championship next season.
However, with Kyrie Irving's questionable injury, it remains uncertain just how likely that is.
Signing D'Angelo Russell might not sound great on paper, given that Russell has had some issues throughout his career, but he's a decent player, and perhaps someone the Mavericks can rely on in certain spots.
When Russell has been asked to do too much throughout his career in other parts, he hasn't exactly been great, so that's something they have to consider.
There's also a scenario where the Mavericks could trade for a player, and Sports Illustrated recently proposed one for them to land an intriguing scoring guard. The trade would move on from PJ Washington and more for Anfernee Simons of the Boston Celtics.
Hawks Receive: Caleb Martin, Jordan Walsh, and a 2031 2nd round pick (via BOS)
Mavericks Receive: Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang
Celtics Receive: P.J. Washington, Dwight Powell, and Vit Krejci
“Simons would be a major upgrade in the starting lineup over Russell. While he is a poor defender, Simons is one of the top-scoring guards in the NBA and would give the Mavericks a real boost on that end. Russell would move to the bench, where he would be better suited, and this could just be a one-year deal for Dallas. Simons' contract expires at the end of the season, and because he and Irving don't fit well together, they could let him walk,” they wrote.
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Simons would be an upgrade over Russell, but he also has flaws as a player.
However, as SI noted, it's important to remember that Simon will hit the free agency market at the end of next season. For that reason alone, he could be a decent buy-low option.