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The Blockbuster Trade Idea That Sends D'Angelo Russell To The Mavericks

Originally posted on Fadeaway World | By Lee Tran | Last updated 1/15/23

This trade has D'Angelo Russell moving to the Mavericks.

The Dallas Mavericks are currently the fourth seed in the Western Conference, and they have a legitimate chance to get to the NBA Finals if they add some more offensive talent. There is no player that wins by themselves, and getting another player that can take on some of the offensive load and help Luka Doncic is important to their success this season.

D'Angelo Russell is currently on an expiring contract, and he has already thrown some shade at the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise after being included in trade rumors. Perhaps a fresh start will be good for him, and the Dallas Mavericks could potentially offer that. In our trade scenario, D'Angelo Russell moves to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Tim Hardaway Jr., Dwight Powell's expiring contract, and some low-value draft compensation.

Dallas Mavericks Receive: D'Angelo Russell

Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: Tim Hardaway Jr., Dwight Powell, 2025 Second-Round Pick (DAL), 2027 Second-Round Pick (DAL)

There is no doubt that this deal could have potential benefits for both teams, and it could end up being a win-win deal. Here is why both the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves should consider making this deal.

The Dallas Mavericks Get Another Legitimate Offensive Force

Even though D'Angelo Russell has primarily been a tertiary offensive option behind Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns on the Minnesota Timberwolves, his skillset suggests that he can scale up to being a No. 2 option on the Dallas Mavericks. He is a guard that is a three-level scorer and who can also facilitate, and his diverse offensive game would make him a good fit on the Dallas Mavericks.

Spencer Dinwiddie has been solid for the Dallas Mavericks this year, but it is imperative for the Dallas Mavericks to get a consistent guard player that can create their own offense as well as play off of Luka Doncic at times. D'Angelo Russell knows how to play both on and off the ball, due to his experience both as a primary option and as a complementary piece. He would likely get a lot of easy perimeter shots playing off Luka Doncic, but there would also be opportunities for him to run things on his own as well.

Having D'Angelo Russell would allow Spencer Dinwiddie to get back to running the bench unit as a sixth man, but both Russell and Dinwiddie would likely be in the closing lineup. A small-ball lineup featuring both of them next to Luka Doncic and Christian Wood would be absolutely deadly offensively.

At the end of the day, the biggest issue for the Dallas Mavericks is that they do not have a consistent offensive player that can impact the game on a night-to-night basis next to Luka Doncic. D'Angelo Russell could be that player, and acquiring him wouldn't be a huge risk for the Dallas Mavericks since he is on an expiring contract. They could also end up giving him an extension as well, especially if D'Angelo Russell shows that he can play well next to Luka Doncic. This seems like a no-brainerr deal for them, and we'll see if the Mavericks try to get something like this done going forward.

The Minnesota Timberwolves Avoid Losing D'Angelo Russell For Nothing

Since D'Angelo Russell is on an expiring contract, it makes sense for the Minnesota Timberwolves to try and extract some value for him on the trade market, especially if they do not plan to keep him beyond this season. D'Angelo Russell notably did not get an extension from the Minnesota Timberwolves ahead of the season, and he might not get it going forward. Trading him could be the best move for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and they could definitely get some solid pieces from the Dallas Mavericks in return for the guard.

In this trade scenario, the main piece would be Tim Hardaway Jr., who is a solid veteran on a long-term deal. While he is not as good as D'Angelo Russell, he is currently averaging 14.0 PPG while shooting 36.1% from beyond the arc, and he profiles as a solid complementary veteran who can provide shot creation either in the starting lineup or off the bench. He could end up being a long-term piece for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but they could also end up moving him for other players/picks in the future if he doesn't fit with their roster.

Dwight Powell's expiring contract could potentially be good salary relief for the Minnesota Timberwolves, as they would obviously be able to decrease their payroll next season with that money expiring at the end of this year. The two second-round picks would be sweeteners in this scenario.

As far as value goes, getting a solid veteran, an expiring deal, and some low-tier draft compensation isn't a bad return for a point guard that could end up leaving at the end of the season. Competing this year isn't a priority for the Minnesota Timberwolves due to their position as a play-in tournament team, and getting some value for player that could leave at the end of the season is a solid move for the team.

This Deal Makes The Dallas Mavericks A Legitimate Finals Threat

There is no doubt that this deal would be a fantastic, low-risk but high-reward move for the Dallas Mavericks. If D'Angelo Russell doesn't do well, they can just let him go in free agency. But if he does well, they could make a deep playoff run this year, and they could potentially sign him to a long-term extension with the franchise. The Mavericks need to make a move for a player that can increase their ceiling, and D'Angelo Russell could definitely make a deadly offensive backcourt with Luka Doncic.

Having Luka Doncic, D'Angelo Russell, and Christian Wood as a team's best players offensively is far from the worst thing in the world, especially with Luka Doncic being the focal point. Hopefully, the Dallas Mavericks can find a way to acquire D'Angelo Russell, as he could really be a difference-making player for them.

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