The Dallas Mavericks have been struggling this season, going 2-3 in their first five games. Without Kyrie Irving, the Mavs have no true ball-handler who can dribble adequately.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes has a solution: trading Daniel Gafford from their big man depth to the New Orleans Pelicans for two ball-handlers.
MORE: Lakers superstar Austin Reaves gets $180 million contract update ahead of final year of current deal
The trade would look like this:
Dallas Mavericks get: Jose Alvarado, Saddiq Bey, 2028 first-round pick swap
New Orleans Pelicans get: Daniel Gafford
MORE: Rockets predicted to trade for $53.8 million, 34.2 PPG superstar to replace Fred VanVleet
“Daniel Gafford is easily the top player in this deal, but he's also the Mavs' third-best center—clearly behind Anthony Davis in the short term and nowhere near as valuable as Dereck Lively II on a longer time horizon…Jose Alvarado hasn't been a regular starter in any of his five years with the Pelicans, but he averaged 6.8 assists per 36 minutes last year and has shot above the league average from deep over the last two seasons combined. That kind of production would represent a major upgrade over what Dallas will trot out at the point until Kyrie Irving comes back,” Hughes wrote.
So, in this deal, the Mavs finally get a ball-handler that can hold the line until Irving returns. Sure, they have D’Angelo Russell, but his defense is abysmal, and Alvarado’s quite the opposite. Plus, it gets them a shooter in Bey and a pick swap.
This trade finally gets the Mavs down from four centers on their roster to three. Hopefully, they realize that and get some negotiations underway.
MORE NBA NEWS
Lakers predicted to cut ties with Austin Reaves, deal him to former blockbuster trade partner