NBA Trade Rumors: The Dallas Mavericks are the team most likely to strike a trade for Deandre Ayton.
It’s safe to say that the Dallas Mavericks will be one of the most active teams during the offseason. After missing the NBA Playoffs entirely this past season, even after acquiring Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets at the NBA Trade Deadline, the Mavs must figure out how to retool the roster in a way that will get this team back into contention in the Western Conference.
However, that could end up being a lot easier said than done. Especially considering that the Mavs won’t have a ton of flexibility heading into the offseason. Aside from re-signing Kyrie this offseason, if the Mavs are going to make a significant change to the roster, it will likely have to be via trade.
From all indications, it seems that’s something the Mavs have very much interest in pursuing.
According to a recent report, the Mavs are considered to be a likely potential landing spot for Deandre Ayton, who the team has previously been linked to.
Ayton will be entering his second year of a four-year contract extension with the Phoenix Suns but has seemed like an odd fit the entire year, dating back to last year’s postseason. It was somewhat shocking when the Suns matched an offer sheet he signed with the Indiana Pacers last summer, but it quickly became clear that the move was more about retaining an asset than anything else.
Perhaps this is the offseason that the Suns elect to cash in on that asset. Even more so considering Phoenix is another team that will be looking to make a change or two to their roster after a somewhat disappointing showing against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals.
According to this same report, a package that could net the Mavs Ayton could look something like this:
Of course, the Suns would probably move the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft for a veteran contributor. If this is the package that it takes for the Mavs to land Ayton, it could be viewed a quite costly.
Then again, if Ayton is the player that the Mavs believe him to be, perhaps it could be viewed as worthwhile for a team that is desperate for another star to play next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie.