Why Mavs Should Push for Pascal Siakam Trade, Big 3 with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving

Originally posted on FanNation Dallas Basketball
By Dalton Trigg | Last updated 1/10/24

The Dallas Mavericks have been linked to Toronto Raptors star forward Pascal Siakam over the last several weeks, and excitement among the fan base grew on Tuesday after Dallas was listed as the betting odds favorite to pull off a trade for the two-time All-Star.

Given that Siakam is on an expiring contract, and that there’s no guarantee he’d re-sign with the Mavs even if they did pull off a deal, the Dallas front office is surely being calculated about what price is “too steep” and what price is “just right.” Given the Mavs’ severe frontcourt deficiencies, though, especially when Dereck Lively II is out, perhaps GM Nico Harrison should be open to giving a little bit more than he’d like to for Siakam.

After pulling off their best win of the season against the West-leading Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, the Mavs followed that up with a massive dud on Tuesday against a severely shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies squad at home. Dallas got pounded on the boards, 54-33, and lost the game, 120-103, despite having both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving playing.

As good as the Mavs’ star backcourt duo is, it’s not going to matter long-term if the frontcourt isn’t fixed. Lively getting healthy after his second ankle sprain of the season helps with the starting center situation, but Dallas still needs better backup options at center to lessen the 19-year-old’s load.

That said, though, the starting power-forward position is the most pressing for the Mavs at the moment. Outside of a hot 10-game start to the season, Grant Williams, who was labeled as Dallas’ biggest offseason addition for most of last summer, has mostly been a bust.

Williams’ play has been so rough, that he lost his spot in head coach Jason Kidd’s starting lineup even before Irving returned from his recent 12-game injury absence. In Tuesday’s deflating loss, Williams put up zero points, zero rebounds, zero assists, one turnover and one foul while being a -20 in seven first-half minutes. He was a DNP-CD in the second half.

Regardless of whether Williams’ struggles are related to conditioning or simply having too much on his plate with a bigger role than what he had with the Boston Celtics, something has to change, and small-ball with Josh Green isn’t going to work either. A trade for Siakam would alleviate a lot of pressure for Williams.

According to a report from Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer on Tuesday, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Richaun Holmes are the two players the Mavs are shopping the most as trade calls continue to take place. And according to a separate report from Fischer last week, "Dallas has long rebuffed inquiries for Josh Green, sources said, fresh off a 3-year, $41 million extension that begins in 2024-25."

Maybe Green isn’t a player that the Raptors’ front office desires, but if he is, and the Mavs have a real chance to add a two-time All-Star, NBA champion in Siakam, who is 6-8 and sill in his prime at 29 years old … the decision seems pretty clear from our point of view.