Draft, sign, trade: Three injury replacements for Kyrie Irving on the Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks could trade for Marcus Smart

General manager Nico Harrison, since trading Doncic, has been chanting his mantra: “Defense wins championships.”

Who better to add, then, than the last guard to win Defensive Player of the Year?

Smart is a solid facilitator and elite defender, and his weaknesses, namely scoring, can be covered up by Davis, Thompson, PJ Washington, and consensus first overall pick Cooper Flagg.

Smart has one season and $21.5 million left on his contract, so Dallas would have to give up significant depth to match his salary. However, the Washington Wizards likely aren’t expecting to field calls on him this season, so the Mavs can hold onto their precious draft capital.

Full Mock Trade Details

Christie showed flashes last season with Dallas, but the Mavericks simply have to include him in a deal for Smart. The Wizards won’t be eager to take on lingering contracts, and Smart will be off the books next summer, offering them some financial flexibility around their young core.

By dangling the 22-year-old wing, the Mavericks should be able to shore up their backcourt and add some defense until Irving is able to return.

Dallas Mavericks could sign Tre Jones

The Mavericks have $188 million already committed next season, and that’s not even counting Cooper Flagg’s rookie contract. In free agency, barring any other move, the Mavericks won’t have a ton of money to spend.

Tre Jones could be a solid, budget point guard to tide them over until Irving is back.

After being traded to the Chicago Bulls from the San Antonio Spurs last season, he averaged 11.5 points and 4.9 assists per game on his new team. He is an underrated defender, an excellent facilitator, and rarely turns the ball over.

Like Smart, he struggles to score, but the Mavericks have other players who can pour in buckets.

His continued improvement with the Bulls should raise his value and asking price, although Chicago is already committed to Lonzo Ball and Josh Giddey next season, and might not be willing to open the coffers for a career backup guard.

Jones was a starter in 2022-23 and was Victor Wembanyama’s first true PG in San Antonio, and he could find similar success with a frontcourt of Flagg and Davis.

Dallas Mavericks could draft Dylan Harper

For now, we’ve operated under the assumption that the point guard added would slot in next to Flagg. However, if the Mavericks wanted to shock the world, there is a slight benefit.

If the Mavericks passed on Flagg, a borderline generational talent, Nico Harrison might have to hire an additional security detail. However, the Mavericks could settle for Dylan Harper, the best point guard prospect in the draft.

At Rutgers, he averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. He is generally expected to be drafted second overall by the Spurs. 

While Flagg is clearly the best player in the draft, the Mavericks could trade the first pick to the Spurs for the second overall selection, as well as a massive haul of future draft capital, and then pick Harper.

The starting price, in a pure swap, would be the second pick, the 14th pick, the Atlanta Hawks’ pick in 2027, and the Mavericks’ (or Timberwolves) pick in 2030. Even that might be too small a haul.

A lineup of Harper, Thompson, Washington, Davis, and Daniel Gafford would have shooting, size, and defense, and there is reason to believe that Harper and Irving could share the floor once the veteran returns.

Drafting Harper is certainly a long shot, and the Mavericks are generally expected to pursue an established veteran instead of shocking the world on draft night.