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The Dallas Mavericks were one of the most talked about teams in the NBA during the 2018-19 trade deadline. They completed the biggest deal of the season (as the Lakers missed out on Anthony Davis) with the acquisition of the Knicks superstar Kristaps Porzingis.
The Knicks superstar had become disgruntled with the franchise due to the lack of competitive nature showed by them since his arrival. He was also going to become a free agent in a year and all things indicated that he did not want to sign with the Knicks. The Mavs made full use of this rift and acquired Porzingis in a huge deal involving various players and picks.
The Mavs were also involved in another deal involving their forward, Harrison Barnes. Barnes was traded to the Kings and he received this news midway into a match, which received scrutiny from a few NBA players.
Let's have a detailed analysis of the Mavs trade deadline moves and how they fared overall.
The blockbuster Porzingis trade
The New York Knicks drafted Kristaps Porzingis with the No 4 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, which received a lot of criticism from the NBA analysts and the Knicks fan base. But Porzingis quickly turned heads with his superb display of skills and athleticism. He also provided highlight reels with his putback dunks and emphatic blocks.
Despite Porzingis' great individual performances, the Knicks remained one of the worst franchises in the league and they failed to surround their superstar with a good supporting cast. He became frustrated with the state of the franchise and it was pretty evident that Porzingis wanted out of New York.
The Knicks also used the opportunity to clear some of cap space and got involved in the trade with the Dallas Mavericks. The Knicks officially traded Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks alongwith Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee and Trey Burke. In return, they received Dennis Smith Jr., two future first round picks and the expiring contracts of DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews.
The Mavs now have the deadly combo of Doncic and Porzingis to take their franchise forward with Dirk retiring after this season.
The sale of Harrison Barnes
The Mavericks got handcuffed when they signed Harrison Barnes to a 4-year, $94 million deal during the 2016 free agency. Barnes has never displayed the level of play that the franchise expected of him.
They finally got rid of his huge contract during this trade deadline. The Kings are finally competing for a playoff push and they wanted to upgrade their roster with the addition of a wing player. The Mavs officially traded Barnes to the Kings for the rookie contract of Justin Jackson and the expiring contract of Zach Randolph.
The Mavs are projected to have around $30 million cap space for the 2019-20 season. They can make a big splash on someone like Nikola Vucevic who has been an All-Star this season.
There is huge buzz and excitement surrounding the Mavs right now and they are going to be one of the must-watch teams in the league during the 2019-20 season.
How they fared?
The Mavs were one of the biggest winners from the NBA 2018-19 trade season. They acquired one of the biggest fish on the market in Kristaps Porzingis and also managed to set themselves nicely for the 2019 free agency.
The prospect of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis combining for the Mavs would be tantalizing to watch for years to come. This trade could still backfire if Porzingis decides to sign the qualifying offer and enter 2020 free agency as an unrestricted free agent. But this trade was totally worth this risk. If Porzingis signs long-term with the Mavs, they will be a dominant team in the league.
The Mavs also lost four of their starters with all these trades. Dennis Smith Jr. and Barnes both required the ball to be effective. Their sale means more ball in the hands of their rookie superstar, Luka Doncic. Doncic is already putting up triple-double numbers on a nightly basis since the trade.
