Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks: Four Players to Monitor at Trade Deadline

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:10 p.m. ET

Fansided, Isaac Harris/FanSided via The Smoking Cuban

With the NBA trade deadline a little over a month away, there could be some quality players who could be on the market due to financial situations. Here are four players the Dallas Mavericks should keep an eye on.

The Dallas Mavericks sit at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 11-27 record. In a season where many believe the Mavericks should “tank” considering their place in the standings, the Mavericks have refused to adopt that mentality.

Now the team has some decisions to make before the trade deadline next month.

Dallas has lucrative draft picks, some younger assets and a couple of expiring veterans that could allow them to pull off a plethora of different deals.

With Atlanta already shedding Kyle Korver to Cleveland, trade season has already started among the league. The new CBA has already started to impact teams as players such as DeMarcus Cousins could opt to sign a new extension that would net him over $200 million dollars.

Contracts will continue to skyrocket and because of that, some teams will have some decisions to make on who they want to keep and who they want to pay.

With that being said, here are four players for Dallas to keep an eye on as they could be dealt due to looming financial decisions.

Jonas Valanciunas

When you have success for multiple years, financial binds are bound to happen and it could happen in Toronto sooner than later.

Toronto signed Valanciunas to a contract extension back in the fall of 2015 where he will make over $14 million over the next four years. Then they went out and re-signed DeMar DeRozan to a max contract this past summer. Now Kyle Lowry hits free agency this summer where he will likely demand a max contract similar to DeRozan.

But lets say that Toronto goes all in this year and makes a trade for a player like Paul Millsap. If that’s the case, then either Valanciunas or Carroll could be the odd man out. Then add in the improving play of Lucas Nogueira, with the possibility of getting another big back in the deal similar to Andrew Bogut, and Valanciunas could be a financial casualty.

Valanciunas leaving Toronto is unlikely, but still worth monitoring as Toronto has some financial decisions to make.

Gorgui Dieng

When you have a plethora of young talent, eventually you have to pay them all and that is exactly what Minnesota will have to do eventually.

When you talk about the young wolves in Minnesota, normally you hear about three players; Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and Zach LaVine.

But it was the 26 year-old Dieng that Minnesota handed a four-year, $64 million contract extension to. Now the Timberwolves are still not in the playoffs and eventually a price will have to be paid to keep their young, big three together.

Minnesota could explore trading Dieng for a proven veteran or simply look to trade the big man with looming contract extensions coming for their young core in a couple of years.

Dieng probably won’t be moved this season, but his contract is worth monitoring for a rebuilding Mavs team.

Derrick Favors

Similar to Minnesota, the situation in Utah will lead to the same results: they can’t pay everyone.

Loaded with young talent, the Utah Jazz must decide soon on who they believe will be the cornerstones of the franchise for the next years to come. Rudy Gobert was recently signed to a massive extension while all signs point toward a max contract for Gordon Hayward this summer.

This leaves some decisions to be made on Rodney Hood, George Hill, Trey Lyles and other key figures to the Jazz rotation. A decision that could help Utah keep some of those core pieces would be testing the market for Derrick Favors, who is on the books for over $11 million each of the next two years.

The 25 year-old has been starting in the front court next to Gobert, but has a logical replacement in Trey Lyles behind him. Trading Favors off for picks and a young player would open up cap space for a looming extension for Hood or to help bring back George Hill this summer.

Utah might not have to make a decision this season, but monitoring the situation with Favors would be wise for Dallas.

John Henson

The story in Milwaukee centers around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker, but it’s the players around them that Kidd & Co. will have to decide on who surrounds them for the next years to come.

Monroe, Henson, Plumlee, and Teletovic are all paid over $10 million a year in the front court. You also have Kris Middleton on the books for over $15 million a year and a new massive extension for Antetokounmpo kicking in next year. Then you have Parker coming up for an extension next Fall.

So who is the odd man out?

With first round pick, Thon Maker, on the bench, the offensive presence of Monroe in the second unit, and a possible desire for a more banging, defensive anchor down low, it wouldn’t be crazy to see a scenario in which Henson could be on the move.

For Dallas, monitoring these types of financial conundrums around the league could be crucial in the rebuilding stage.

If Dallas could capitalize on a young, financial casualty from an opposing team, it could help jumpstart their rebuild.