The Dallas Mavericks have endless possibilities this offseason, and a swing for an elite defender could bolster their roster.
The Mavericks have many decisions to make over the next few weeks, ranging from drafting Cooper Flagg to Kyrie Irving’s player option, but the trade market might be the most intriguing part of Dallas’ offseason. While GM Nico Harrison made one of the most shocking trades in NBA history when he sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, he has never been afraid to double down on his “defense wins championships” motto.
With a clear emphasis on defense in his roster building, Harrison could target one of the top wing defenders in basketball. In a recent mock trade suggested by Pelicans on SI’s Liam Willerup, Dallas might be able to land Herb Jones.
The trade consisted of a three-team deal that also included the Los Angeles Lakers. The deal featured the Lakers receiving Daniel Gafford and Caleb Martin, the Pelicans receiving Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht and two picks, plus the Mavericks getting back Jones and Gabe Vincent.
Considering Dallas’ logjam inside, especially with the presumed addition of Flagg, sending Gafford out to get an elite perimeter defender makes plenty of sense. Like most of the Pelicans' roster, Jones was sidelined with an injury for most of the season, playing in only 20 games.
Still, Jones showed his impact in those games, averaging 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals. While he was ineligible for any accolades last season, in 2023-24, Jones earned a spot on the All-Defensive First Team and finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
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Add in Jones being a career 36.6% 3-point shooter, and he could be exactly who Dallas needs to acquire to return to contention in 2026.