The Dallas Mavericks have been linked to several high-level players on the trade market, and one target helps solve an immediate need with the current roster.
Every veteran on the Dallas Mavericks has been included in trade rumors this season as the team goes all-in on Cooper Flagg. While some players, like Daniel Gafford and Anthony Davis, seem as good as gone, others have some roots in Dallas and might not be moved, despite the clear need to embrace youth.
It's no secret that I think Kyrie Irving should be traded, and his winning pedigree and recent veteran leadership could fetch a hefty price on the trade market. There is an argument to be made that he should stick around out of "loyalty," although Irving stands to benefit from joining a veteran team ready to win now.
The Mavericks, despite their best efforts, don't fit the bill. Out in the Eastern Conference, Irving could be reunited with his first-ever NBA team as the Cleveland Cavaliers struggle, provided they are willing to break up their core.
Mavericks Could Swap Irving for Garland
After finishing with the best record in the East last season, the Cavs' core of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley simply isn't working. Mitchell and Mobley are the two most untouchable players on the team, but Dallas could still make a big swing.
"If they could flip Kyrie for the next three to five years of Darius to grow alongside Cooper Flag, then all of a sudden things look a little bit different in Dallas," expressed Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor.
The Cavs are squarely Mitchell's team, and are disappointing this season despite entering the year with very real title hopes. Irving found himself in the exact same situation when he first joined the Mavericks, and a Cleveland homecoming could be long overdue.
The Cavs get a steady veteran to carry some of the playmaking load, and Cleveland can hope that the fit is better. In a straight-up swap, the Mavericks get a younger point guard to pair with Flagg, addressing their biggest concern.
This move still leaves Davis, Gafford, and Klay Thompson on the table to be dealt for draft picks, and gives the Mavs a long-term solution at a position of need. In an effort to go all-in on Flagg as the center of the franchise, adding Garland makes plenty of sense.