NBA Trades: The Dallas Mavericks acquired Caleb Martin to help add depth on the wing in a deadline-week deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
There's no replacing Luka Doncic but after swapping him (and pieces) to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for a deal centered around Anthony Davis, the Dallas Mavericks almost had to find a way to add depth on the wing ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. That's what the Mavs accomplished with a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday afternoon.
In an attempt to help add more depth on the wing, the Mavs acquired Caleb Martin for the 76ers in exchange for Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick. After making two moves ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline, this Mavs roster looked pretty different than it did just a few weeks ago. Many will continue to criticize the Mavs for trading Luka, which they have every right to, but it will be interesting to see how this team is able to look down the stretch.
AD is a very good player and arguably the second or third-best big in the NBA when he's healthy. The addition of Martin will also add another element on the wing that the team didn't currently have on their roster.
Caleb Martin should be an upgrade
It would be easy to downplay what the Mavs have been able to do but, in theory, Martin should be an upgrade on the wing for the Mavs. Averaging nine points and four rebounds per game on 44 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent shooting from 3-point range, there's reason to believe that Martin will be a welcomed addition to the team. He's going to offer some versatility on both ends of the floor and knows exactly what it takes to come up big in the postseason.
Martin played a huge role in Miami's unlikely run to the NBA Finals a few years ago. While he may not have been a great fit in Philly, that doesn't mean he won't be a good supporting player for the Sixers. With still time to make another move before the February 6 trade deadline, it will be interesting to see what else Dallas may have up their sleeve. There's a chance they could look to add to the frontcourt or even add another ball-handler over the next couple of days.
Either way, there's no question that the narrative around this team has significantly changed in just a few days. It remains to be seen how it will all pay off, but there's no question that the franchise has certainly taken a big risk.