Why Mavericks’ Caleb Martin trade is not a disaster

The 2024-25 season saw the Dallas Mavericks make two questionable trades. Of course, the decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers shocked the entire sports world. However, the Mavs also acquired Caleb Martin in a deal that saw them send Quentin Grimes to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Doncic trade saw no shortage of backlash, but the Martin deal was also quite unpopular among fans.

Grimes is younger and Martin was dealing with injury trouble. The 29-year-old appeared in only 14 games with Dallas following the trade. He struggled for the most part while on the floor, something that only added even more frustration to the fanbase.

With all of that being said, it is too soon to call the Martin trade a disaster.

Grimes was seeking a big contract — one that may not have made sense for Dallas to give him. The Mavs already featured enough depth on the wing and Martin provides quality defensive value. Like it or not, general manager Nico Harrison is going all in on the defensive side of the ball — and Martin fits the plan.

The 6’5″ forward can guard multiple positions. He is capable of staying in front of opposing teams’ best ball-handlers, but he can also guard elite shooting wings. Martin’s defensive versatility will prove to be important for Dallas during the 2025-26 campaign.

Offensively, there are question marks with Caleb Martin. His shot was far from consistent, as he recorded a lackluster 38.9 field goal shooting percentage with the Mavs. He also connected on just 25 percent of his three-point attempts.

Martin has never been a tremendous offensive player, but he’s looked much better in past seasons. One has to imagine that joining a new team while dealing with an injury led to Martin’s inconsistency. It would not be surprising by any means to see Martin perform at a much more consistent level this season.

If Martin fails to find his footing this year with the Mavericks, then the “disaster” narrative may come to fruition. However, although some fans have already called it a failed trade, it is too early to judge the deal. Martin may end up making a significant impact in 2025-26.