The Dallas Mavericks are a two-timeline team right now.
While they feature the NBA’s most exciting draft prospect, Cooper Flagg, they also have a team loaded with veteran talent.
Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson have all won an NBA championship.
Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington, and Dereck Lively II have all proven they can be key pieces to a team that can make a run at a championship.
But so far through 2025-26, they’ve struggled to find their footing; they’re 2-3 and still figuring out the best way to deploy their lineups.
Could there be a trade or two out there to help put them on the right track?
Mavericks Receive ‘Realistic’ Trade Target
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey gave each NBA team a “realistic” and “dream” trade target to improve the roster.
For the Dallas Mavericks, a realistic target could be Utah Jazz big man Kyle Anderson.
“The Utah Jazz may be posturing like they’re going to keep Lauri Markkanen, but if they eventually relent on that, there could be a fire sale for the rest of their veterans,” wrote Bailey.
“Heck, even if they don’t move Markkanen, it’s hard to see a long-term future for players like Kyle Anderson or Kevin Love with the rebuilding Jazz. And while the Dallas Mavericks are waiting for Kyrie Irving’s return, they could use a little playmaking boost from Anderson.”
Anderson is known as one of the better passing bigs in the entire NBA.
As a role player, his best usage is as a passing hub, where he can read opposing defenses and get the ball where it needs to be.
With Irving sidelined for the foreseeable future, recovering from his torn ACL, and D’Angelo Russell leaving a bit to be desired as a stopgap, the former UCLA standout would be a fine acquisition for a Mavs team searching for a floor general.
Mavericks ‘Dream’ Trade Target
According to Bailey, the best-case scenario for the Dallas Mavericks would be landing Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
There’s been Dallas-LeBron rumblings for some time now, and considering he has two former championship teammates there, Davis and Irving, the fit makes a lot of sense.
“The idea of LeBron James joining former teammates Kyrie and Anthony Davis in Dallas surfaced more than once this past summer,” continued Bailey.
“And while Dallas would have to stack up a lot of contracts to make a deal, a ‘Last Dance’ style run for those three would be fun. And high-level playoff experience for Cooper Flagg could serve him well in the future.”
What better role model for Flagg than another American prospect who was drafted first overall and had the weight of the world placed on his shoulders?
James could serve as the best possible mentor for the former Duke standout, and even help the Mavs compete for a championship.
It would certainly be a complex trade, as James holds final say with his no-trade clause.
But considering the growing rift between himself and the Lakers, and the championship-ready roster in Dallas, James to the Mavericks makes a whole lot of sense on the surface.
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