The Dallas Mavericks shocked the league by trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. Shortly after, they dealt Quentin Grimes to the Philadelphia 76ers for Caleb Martin. But before those deals went down, Dallas had its hands all over the trade market.
Had things played out differently, the Mavericks’ roster might have looked nothing like it does now. Before landing Davis, they made an effort to trade for Jimmy Butler and also expressed interest in Kyle Kuzma, both of whom were involved in constant trade talks throughout the trade deadline.
Per HoopsHype:
“Before the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic in a blockbuster deal to acquire Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick, the team also expressed interest in Jimmy Butler and Kyle Kuzma, league sources told HoopsHype… PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford briefly came up in trade talks for Butler, but exploratory discussions didn’t go far, league sources told HoopsHype. At the time, Miami sought starting-caliber players on short-term deals who could help the Heat compete this season while giving them financial flexibility for the future as part of a trade package for the disgruntled Butler.”
Butler ultimately landed with the Golden State Warriors, and Kuzma was traded to the Milwaukee. It’s unclear whether acquiring Butler and Kuzma, or even just one of them, would have altered Dallas’ plans in trading Doncic. One thing is certain though, Dallas was surely relentless in reshaping its roster this season.
