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The Dallas Mavericks have started the season on a very hot note. They have a 6-4 record and are currently the sixth-ranked team in the Western Conference.
The Mavs were expected to be a lottery team this season. However, based on their start and the kind of displays they are putting up, it seems now that they have a great chance of making the playoffs.
Chris Paul was acquired by the Oklahoma City Thunder as a part of the Russell Westbrook trade. The Thunder are in full rebuilding mode, with a great group of young players, and Paul has found it difficult to adjust.
His playing time has got reduced and he is not able to make much of an impact. Also, at this stage of his career, Paul would want to feature for a contender team.
There are plenty of trade rumors surrounding him, and one of them is a trade move to the Dallas Mavericks. But here are three reasons why the Mavericks should not go after Paul:
#3 Ageing superstar
Paul has been a great point guard for over a decade, having led the NBA in assists and steals several times. He has always been recognized for his very high IQ on both the offensive and the defensive ends of the floor.
But Paul has now turned 34 years old, and he no longer possesses the physical agility to match his mental awareness. He is also injury prone and has suffered from a lot of physical setbacks recently.
Paul no longer plays at an All-Star level, and his minutes have been declining over the years. He won't be able to produce much of an impact for the Mavericks, who already look good and may not want to disrupt their team chemistry.
#2 One of the worst contracts in current NBA
Chris Paul has one of the worst contracts in the current NBA. Paul signed a four-year, $160 M contract in Jun 2018, and still has three years remaining on it.
If the Mavs decide to go after Paul, they would essentially be left with no cap space to add any more key pieces.
Paul doesn't play at the highest level anymore. That would mean the Mavs would remain a mid-table team for years if they trade for Paul. They would also need to part ways with some first rounders to get a deal done for Paul.
The Mavs should not surrender a bright future to go after the 34-year-old. They would not want any part of his massive contract or his huge personality, especially when they already have two of the best young players in the NBA in Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.
#1 The unbelievable displays of Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic is already an NBA superstar in his sophomore season. He is a lock for the All-Star game and is one of the topmost contenders for the NBA MVP award, especially if the Dallas Mavericks manage to make the playoffs.
Doncic has been special this season, single-handedly leading the charge for the Mavs. He has been filling up the stat sheet and has also been registering monstrous triple-doubles to his name. He is averaging 28.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game so far.
Adding Chris Paul to the lineup would probably disrupt Doncic's momentum, and he would need to re-adjust his game.
Doncic is already a top 10 player in the NBA and has the potential to be one of the best basketball players ever. That is why, the Mavs wouldn't want anything to affect his growth.
