It’s no secret the Dallas Mavericks are looking to bolster their backcourt this summer, with Kyrie Irving not expected to return until at least January due to a torn ACL in his left knee.
While the club has been tied to several replacements in the backcourt — including Jrue Holiday, Collin Sexton, Chris Paul and Malcolm Brogdon — Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has also surfaced in trade rumors.
Mason Schwaber of The Smoking Cuban recently proposed a trade that would send Ball to Dallas while netting the team a lottery pick.
Here’s Schwaber’s proposed trade:
Mavericks receive: Lonzo Ball, 2025 No. 12 pick
Bulls receive: Daniel Gafford
Despite signing Ball to a one-year, $10 million contract extension in February, his ongoing injury concerns could motivate the Bulls to move on from the UCLA product. He has battled persistent knee issues in his career and has appeared in only 70 regular-season games for Chicago since arriving via sign-and-trade from the Pelicans in 2021.
The former No. 2 overall pick underwent a meniscus and cartilage transplant in his left knee in 2023 after several unsuccessful procedures. He played in 35 regular-season games this past season and missed Chicago’s final 24 matchups — including its Play-In Tournament loss to the Heat — due to a sprained right wrist.
While Gafford, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this upcoming season, may not be enough to land the Mavericks both Ball and a lottery pick, the deal isn’t entirely unrealistic. The Mavericks are expected to continue exploring short-term options at point guard while Irving remains sidelined, and with solid frontcourt depth, they may be positioned to make a move for a player like Ball.
