NBA: 5 wild draft-day trade ideas that would change the league’s landscape
By Kyle McKee
A while three-team deal involving Kristaps Porzingis and Buddy Hield
Dallas Mavericks: Harrison Barnes, Montrezl Harrell (sign-and-trade)
Los Angeles Lakers receives: Buddy Hield
Sacramento Kings Receives: Kristaps Prozingis, the 22nd pick, and the Mavericks 2022 first-round pick
Now, this is a crazy three-team trade that probably won’t happen, but I got to say, it kind of makes sense for all three teams. And when I say kind of, I mean it makes a whole lot of sense.
For the Mavs, you’d bring in two solid, veteran players that can come right in, contribute right away, and fit great alongside Luka Doncic.
Barnes and his ability to be a spot-up shooter is a must-have for a team built around the ball-dominant Doncic.
Barnes is also a solid defender, who’s capable of guarding one through four, which is another must for any contending team to have in the modern NBA.
Barnes’ ability to play off the ball while also having the ability to create his own shot would be great to have for a Mavs team that struggled to get offense every time Luka was on the bench.
Then for Harrell, he would be great in the pick-and-roll game with Luka as the ball-handler.
Trez, like Barnes, would give the Mavs some much-needed offensive help, an area that has been exposed in their first-round series losses, the past two seasons, to the LA Clippers.
Then for the Lakers, they would get a really good shooter in Buddy Heild, which everyone knows is a must in a LeBron-centric offense.
Similar to the Mavs, the Lakers struggle to produce offense when it’s not coming from Bron or Anthony Davis. Hield would add another scorer to the Lakers’ offense that struggles in that area.
Lastly, for the Kings, they would get Kristaps Porzingos. Now, despite his injury history and disappointing play in Dallas, Porzingis is still only 25 years old.
If he can get back to the player he was in New York, he would be a great fit alongside De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. And if the Kings can re-sign Richaun Holmes, a Holmes-Porzingis front-court would be a pretty formidable backline.