Trade Targets: Mavericks’ Top 3 Trade Targets Revealed: Who They Need to Secure Now

The Dallas Mavericks are a mere 9-8 through their first 17 games of the 2024-25 NBA season. They haven’t yet lived up to the expectations placed on them prior to the season beginning. This isn’t all that shocking, though.

Luka Doncic, as well as other key pieces, have dealt with injuries to this point. The squad also has to bring Klay Thompson into the scheme and build chemistry and comfort in that regard. Still, there is room for roster upgrades.

With a decent sample size from early returns this season, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz took a look at three players each NBA team should target through trades right now. The first player he listed for the Mavericks was Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson.

“A slow start to the season for P.J. Washington (9.7 points, 26.3 percent from three) could cause the Dallas Mavericks to explore an upgrade at power forward as the season moves along,” Swartz wrote. “Shooting is a necessity when playing alongside Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, especially since neither center has even attempted a three-pointer.”

Johnson might be the most ideal power forward. He’s a sharpshooting wing with NBA Finals experience. He also plays on the Nets — who are due for a fire sale as they’ll be in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.

“Johnson, 28, is averaging 18.1 points and cashing in 3.1 threes a game on a healthy 39.3 percent clip,” Swartz wrote.

Now, there are another two big forwards Swartz suggested for the Mavericks to trade for, those being Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards and John Collins of the Utah Jazz.

Kuzma is a more versatile scorer who the Mavs tried to trade for at the deadline last year,” Swartz continued. “Collins is thriving as a starter in Utah this season (20.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 41.7 percent from three) and would be a strong lob target for Dončić and Irving.”

The idea of adding Kuzma to the squad is intruiging. He’s a capable scorer and NBA champion. There’s real value in that. On the other hand, Collins is a floor spacer in every sense. He can stretch the floor to play off Doncic’s and Irving’s scoring gravity, but he’s also a vertical threat in the pick-and-roll game.