The Dallas Mavericks could make a surprising splash this offseason.
After trading away their international superstar, Luka Doncic, in February, Dallas could make a deal to add another international star this summer. Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen has been in trade rumors throughout his time in Salt Lake City, and it might be time for the Jazz to pull the trigger on a deal.
There are a couple of different routes to get Markkanen in Dallas. While Utah has been unwilling ot involve him in serious trade talks over the past couple of years, another season of uncompetitive basketball might have been enough to change its mind.
The first potential deal would send Markkanen to Dallas for P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Caleb Martin and Jaden Hardy. While Markkanen’s value might seem higher, his $46 million salary could make it difficult for Utah to receive a package it desires, especially given that it’s already been two seasons since his first and only All-Star appearance.
In this situation, Dallas would get another star to help while Kyrie Irving is sidelined and build an incredibly dynamic frontcourt of Markkanen, Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis. However, if Dallas is seriously concerned about Irving’s torn ACL, he could potentially be on his way out.
If both sides feel that their time together should come to an end, Dallas might be able to convince Irving to opt into his player option and get dealt to Utah alongside a filler such as Brandon Williams. If a Markkanen-Irving swap were to happen, it would also allow Dallas to move on from some of the role players in the previous trade proposal to bring in a new point guard.
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As for Utah, getting Irving on a one-year rental with the potential to get nothing in return could be rough. However, Irving could serve as a mentor for Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George as they look to take a leap early in their careers as point guards.
There are multiple routes to get Markkanen in Dallas, and while they might not seem favorable for Utah, it’s impossible to rule anything out in this era of the NBA.
