Mavs' Dorian Finney-Smith hints team is happier after Kristaps Porzingis trade

The Dallas Mavericks’ decision to trade Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards ahead of the NBA trade deadline was arguably the second-biggest transaction of the period.

Not only did it officially signal that the experiment with Luka Doncic and Porzingis had failed, but it also risked messing with the momentum of a squad that was doing quite well for itself in the West this year.

Several weeks in and it’s looking like the Mavericks made the right call.

So much so, in fact, that players on the roster are low-key hinting that the dynamic is much better nowadays.

“(Head coach Jason Kidd) is making us talk a lot more, letting us figure it out, asking questions and letting guys speak up,” Dorian Finney-Smith said this week, via Grant Afseth of Sports Illustrated.

“I feel like we’ve been holding each other accountable this year, and as you can see, I feel like on our team there’s no jealousy now.

“We’re playing great basketball, and even when things aren’t going together, we’re talking to each other and staying together.”

Given that the only thing that has changed is Porzingis’ departure, it’s hard not to view that statement at face value.

And given that Doncic’s beef with Porzingis is a matter of public record at this point, making the connection doesn’t feel like a big stretch.

Who will ultimately emerge from the trade victorious when it’s all said and done? An answer likely won’t truly reveal itself for many years.