The Dallas Mavericks need to provide Luka Doncic with help. Kristaps Porzingis was supposed to do this, but he seems to be in a decline while completely failing the Mavericks this postseason. Dallas needs changes to truly become a title contender, and removing Porzingis looks to be the clear first move.
Kristaps Porzingis Trade Ideas
The San Antonio Spurs Add a Big Man to their Plethora of Guards
The trade: the San Antonio Spurs receive Porzingis for DeMar DeRozan (sign-and-trade) and Keldon Johnson.
San Antonio is loaded with talented guards, such as Dejounte Murray and Derrick White. They need frontcourt help, and Porzingis looks like a good fit next to Jakob Poeltl. Paired with a fantastic coach and a strong development staff, Porzingis could find his old form (or close to it) with the Spurs.
The big piece here for Dallas is DeRozan. Doncic can carry the torch with just about everything, but the Mavericks need an established second option to move past the first round of the playoffs. DeRozan is exactly this. He was forgotten in a sense since leaving Toronto, but DeRozan averaged 21.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists this season. At 31 years old, DeRozan certainly has a couple of years left in the tank.
Johnson is young and undersized as a forward but clearly has strong potential. This season he averaged 12.8 points and six boards per game. His development will be accelerated alongside Doncic.
Kristaps Porzingis Heads West to Sacramento
The trade: the Sacramento Kings receive Porzingis and Trey Burke for Richaun Holmes (sign-and-trade) and Buddy Hield.
On a surface level, this isn’t exactly a trade that the Kings would consider. In this scenario, Holmes would have to make a desire to sign with Dallas clear, and then Sacramento would look to acquire frontcourt help as well as rid themselves of Hield to allow Tyrese Haliburton to flourish.
If Holmes leaves, the Kings will have a bad situation in the frontcourt. Marvin Bagley has not panned out, and Hassan Whiteside is not the answer. They’re set at the backcourt and can add firepower to their frontcourt with Porzingis. Burke is talented as well and adds backcourt depth.
Dallas desperately needs a rim protector (and rim runner) like Holmes. This season he averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. He’ll be a defensive menace for Dallas, and he’ll thrive on the endless alley-oops provided by Doncic.
Hield’s contract isn’t ideal, but it’s certainly better than that of Porzingis. He averaged 16.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. His statistics took a hit with Haliburton coming in. Hield, however, is an absolute sniper from deep. He’ll see success in the Dallas offense as a catch-and-shoot specialist and can certainly average around 20 points per game.
Toronto Bolsters the Frontcourt to Avoid Missing the Playoffs Again
The trade: the Toronto Raptors receive Porzingis for Chris Boucher and Gary Trent Jr. (sign-and-trade).
Toronto missed the playoffs this season with a talented roster. That can’t happen again. With Kyle Lowry looking likely to leave, the Raptors will be looking to add more firepower. Lowry leaving also opens up enough cap space to secure Porzingis. Pairing Porzingis up with Pascal Siakam will give Toronto a very talented frontcourt that can spread the floor, and Fred VanVleet will serve as the primary initiator.
Dallas gets rim protection here with Boucher, whose ascent to becoming a formidable player was kept under the wraps this past season. He averaged 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. In addition, Boucher is actually a very solid floor-spacer, shooting 38 percent from deep. He can step in as the starting center for Dallas.
Trent Jr. is an ideal fit alongside Doncic. He’s the stereotypical “Three-and-D” star whose begging for a chance to blow up. This past season he averaged 15.3 points per game on 39 percent from deep. His scoring saw a major bump after being traded to Toronto from the Portland Trail Blazers, and the same can happen with the looks he’ll have alongside Doncic. Dallas would have a terrific shooting guard rotation if this trade occurs and they retain Tim Hardaway Jr.
Kristaps Porzingis Teams Up with Another Talented Young Guard
The trade: the Charlotte Hornets receive Porzingis for Terry Rozier and Miles Bridges.
Charlotte needs to do two things to succeed: allow LaMelo Ball to take over the reins and to find frontcourt help. This trade solves both those issues. Rozier, although talented, can hold Ball back for the future. They let go of him here, which also gives them more reasons to re-sign Devonte’ Graham. With Cody Zeller‘s impending free agency, Charlotte will be looking to add frontcourt players. In addition, Zeller isn’t necessarily an answer. Porzingis can play both the four and five and allow P.J. Washington to find his own natural position. The pair will offer plenty of frontcourt versatility.
It was clear in the Mavericks’ most recent playoff series that they need another scorer/playmaker to lessen the burden on Doncic who seemingly had to do everything. Rozier, although erratic at times, can provide this solution. He’s a fantastic scorer and can play both positions in the backcourt. He may not be the ideal option, but he can succeed in Dallas.
Bridges brings crazy athleticism as well as some untapped potential. He’s a solid two-way player as well. Although it’s unlikely that Bridges becomes a star, his bounce and tenacious play will be welcome in Dallas.
Major Western Conference Swap
The trade: The Portland Trail Blazers receive Porzingis for CJ McCollum.
This one’s unlikely, sure, but desperate teams often make crazy moves. Like Doncic, Damian Lillard desperately needs help. It’s looking more and more likely that his partnership with McCollum comes to an end. Lillard can do it all and is better suited with a defensive-minded “Three-and-D” type in the backcourt. McCollum is a stellar two-way player who has criminally never attended an All-Star game, but his fit with Lillard is questionable. Portland needs frontcourt help, as seen in their series versus the Denver Nuggets, and they may take a gamble on Porzingis.
McCollum seems like a perfect fit in Dallas. He can score in bunches with or without Doncic, as well as be a strong defensive presence typically guarding the opposing team’s top playmaker. When Doncic rests, McCollum can take over the majority of playmaking and scoring duties on the court.
Main Image: Embed from Getty Images
