The Mavericks have emerged as the favorites to acquire notorious forward

The Dallas Mavericks may decide to participate in the NBA trade market, especially since they have emerged as Western Conference contenders early in the 2023-24 season. Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors has emerged as a possible target.

For the time being, Golden State appears unlikely to trade its star. But, with Green in the news for all the wrong reasons and the Warriors in a slump, roster changes could be on the way.

According to Bovada, the Mavericks are the favorites to sign the former Defensive Player of the Year if the Dubs decide to let him go. Dallas, at +210, has a better chance of being his next possible home outside of the Bay Area than the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Mavericks have emerged as the favorites to acquire notorious forward

The Mavericks have defied expectations thus far, sitting third in the West with a 16-9 record. Nonetheless, there are numerous holes on the roster that could prevent them from progressing from fringe to legitimate contenders. One of them is the team’s over-reliance on one-on-one basketball on offense and its poor defense.

While Dallas has a top-six offense, the team averages only 25.7 assists per game, ranking them 18th in the league. Luka Doncic of the Mavericks has already proven to be one of the most prolific scorers of this generation, and his backcourt partner, Kyrie Irving, is also a ball wizard.

Top-tier defenses, on the other hand, may be able to devise ways to deal with the Doncic-Irving duo. Adding an elite playmaker like Green could provide more scoring opportunities for the star guards on the offensive end of the court.

Luka Doncic's One on One Talent grade by year.

19: B+
20: A+
21: A+
22: A+
23: A+

🗃️Filtered down to on-ball players / 1000 minute min

💡One on One Talent is an estimate of 1v1 skill that adjusts for shot quality

— BBall Index (@The_BBall_Index) November 20, 2023

Furthermore, Dallas requires defensive reinforcement after allowing 117.1 points per game this season, ranking 21st in the league. The front office may want to trade some players who became trade-eligible after December 15, but the four-time All-Star could be one of the team’s most intriguing trade prospects. His championship pedigree and two-way abilities could complement what the franchise already has.

Green’s menacing reputation on the court may be a strength (or weakness, but more on that later) that can help the Mavericks. With Doncic’s penchant for trash-talking, the team may require an enforcer to protect and take the heat off its star player.

Of course, this could backfire for Dallas, as Dray’s proclivity for getting himself into trouble and being suspended could hurt the team’s chances of making a deep playoff run.

Furthermore, Green’s contract may make it difficult for the Mavericks to put together a trade package with salaries that work and that the Warriors want.

Only time will tell how the organization performs in the trade market over the next few weeks. Stay tuned to us for more information on the Dallas Mavericks.

In other news. Bleacher Report’s recent grade disparages Luka Doncic and the Mavericks.