Nearly three months ago, the Dallas Mavericks pulled off two separate NBA Draft night trade that netted them Dereck Lively II with the 12th pick, Olivier-Maxence Prosper with the 24th pick, and former Sacramento Kings veteran center Richaun Holmes in a salary-dump deal.
Before the trade with the Kings was official, though, the Mavs, according to Marc Stein, had trade talks with the Phoenix Suns revolving around former 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton. Dallas reportedly offered Tim Hardaway Jr., Holmes and JaVale McGee for Ayton, and the Suns understandably balked at that offer.
“The proposed deal, sources tell The Stein Line, would have sent Ayton to Dallas for Tim Hardaway Jr., Richaun Holmes and JaVale McGee — but the Suns balked at McGee’s inclusion,” Stein wrote.
Once the Mavs-Kings trade was finalized, there was a 60-day trade aggregate restriction placed on Holmes, meaning the Mavs couldn’t include him in deals with other Dallas players — like Hardaway, for example. However, that restriction has passed as of Sept. 6, and McGee is no longer in the picture after the Mavs waived him two weeks ago.
So … given that McGee was apparently the biggest disagreement the Mavs and Suns had in their Ayton talks, wouldn’t be feasible to envision those conversations potentially coming up again sometime before the season begins? Would Phoenix take Hardaway and Holmes straight up with McGee out of the way, or would they now push for draft compensation as well?
Although the Mavs love the potential that rookie big man Dereck Lively II possesses, he might not be ready to start at center from Day 1, although that’s certainly something he’s told DallasBasketball.com he’s working toward. And long-time Mavs big man Dwight Powell, who signed a three-year, $12 million deal this summer, will always be a solid temporary in-season starter if needed, but he isn’t a long-term fix, and he isn’t playable in the postseason.
Ever since the Mavs had those trade talks on draft night, the Suns have given signals that they’re content with keeping Ayton for now, giving him a chance to work with new head coach Frank Vogel. Even if the Suns are content with that, though, that doesn’t necessarily mean Ayton is too.
With less than three weeks until training camp begins, we’re keeping our eyes peeled for some late-summer Mavs activity.
More must-reads: