The Dallas Mavericks were offered a chance to make up for one of their worst moves from last season, but instead opted to stay the course en route to a 12th-place finish.
The Luka Doncic trade takes the cake as the worst deal pulled off by Nico Harrison during his time with the Dallas Mavericks, but it was far from the only bad move.
In February 2025, the Mavericks shipped out Quentin Grimes and a second-round pick for Caleb Martin. In fairness, Grimes was about to be a restricted free agent, and maybe Harrison didn't want to get into negotiations, but the deal had disastrous consequences.
Since the trade, Grimes has averaged 15.7 points for the Philadelphia 76ers. Martin, meanwhile, has posted just 4.2 ineffective points for the Mavs, often not seeing the floor at all.
Before the 2026 trade deadline, the Mavericks had a chance to undo some of the damage done from that deal, but opted not to pull the trigger.
Mavericks Turned Down Trade Interest From 76ers
Even with injuries to Joel Embiid and Paul George's 25-game suspension, the Philadelphia 76ers hobbled into the postseason, where they came back from a 3-1 deficit in the first round to beat the Boston Celtics.
They would go on to fall to the New York Knicks, although they weren't devoid of talent. Midway through the season, the Sixers went shopping for veterans, and Dallas' Naji Marshall was on the list.
"Among other players, the source said the Sixers made runs at, unsuccessfully: Naji Marshall of the Dallas Mavericks, Donte DiVincenzo of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Brandon Podziemski of the Golden State Warriors, and Ryan Dunn of the Phoenix Suns. None of those players were moved," listed Philly Voice's Adam Aaronson.
The Mavericks could have shipped out Marshall for either Kelly Oubre or to get Grimes back, both of whom are near matches for Marshall's salary. However, in an effort to go young, the Mavericks could have targeted Jared McCain.
In 2024, McCain was one of the best rookies in the league, although he took a bit of a step back in his sophomore season. The Siuxer traded him to the OKC Thunder for a single first-round pick, and he went on to average 10.4 points on 39.1 percent shooting from deep in Oklahoma City.
McCain's playstyle would have fit in perfectly next to both Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. Maybe the Sixers wouldn't have wanted to take on Marshall's salary, although for a capable player and draft picks (which the Mavs could have offered), it stands to reason that McCain could have been theirs.
Instead, with the ninth overall selection, there is no guarantee that Dallas will be able to bolster their young core this summer.