Over the past two weeks, the Dallas Mavericks have struggled to stay afloat. Before Christmas, the Mavs were one of the top three teams in the Western Conference. They looked like one of the hottest teams in the league, starting December on an eight-game winning streak. Since Christmas Day though, the team has struggled to stay relevant.
One of the biggest issues has been injuries and illness. Luka Doncic was sidelined during Dallas' game on Christmas against the Minnesota Timberwolves suffering a left calf strain that has him sidelined until further notice. To make things worse, Doncic's counterpart, Kyrie Irving will miss his second straight game on Monday with a lumbar back sprain. Irving missed Friday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to illness, and this back injury was awful news for Mavericks fans on Sunday.
Yet, not everything has been as bad as it seems. Klay Thompson has been a huge asset exceeding expectations for the team. Thompson has started the year on the right note, and he is fitting into the offense beautifully. He's averaging 16 points per game and one steal while shooting 44.4 percent from the 3-point line in January. Thompson has been doing a great job finding ways to contribute without Doncic. Critics expected Thompson to struggle with his teammate out for an extended period of time, as they spend tons of time together on the floor when they're both healthy. This has not been the case, as he is finding new ways to help weather the storm without Doncic.
Mavericks not wanting to land Butler should make Mavs fans rejoice
The Mavs have a chance to revamp their roster even more, as rumors have swirled that they are one of the teams on Jimmy Butler's wishlist. The six-time All-Star has requested a trade after expressing his displeasure with the team. Butler is currently serving a seven-game suspension as the Heat felt his conduct was detrimental to the team.
Yet even with the rumors flying, Dallas has no clear interest in trading for Butler. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer both stated the team has not expressed "tangible interest" in him. This is good news for Mavs fans as trading for Butler would come with a lot of baggage.
For starters, if Dallas were to trade for Butler it would require a lot of work. Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey created a hypothetical trade package involving the Mavs and Heat. In the trade, Dallas gave up P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, and two first-round pick swaps. This would create a huge dilemma for the Mavs, as Washington and Gafford played a key role in helping the team advance to the Finals last season. This would be a huge loss for Dallas, as it would limit the amount of solid role players surrounding Doncic and Irving.
Butler has also been known to cause a distraction as well. For example, if he were to be traded, it would be the fourth trade of his career. Butler played six seasons with the Chicago Bulls before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Simply put, Chicago likely didn't want to give him a max contract, so they moved on. He again expressed displeasure with the Wolves, as he was unhappy with his contract and the chemistry between Butler and some of the young players was off. Minnesota then traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers where he lasted one season. They too refused to pay Butler, as they sent him to Miami.
The same situation is playing out with the Heat. The Mavs should want none of his distractions. The team chemistry is already at an all-time high and this would only hurt their morale. Dallas should stray away from making a blockbuster trade for Butler. Plus, Butler would be a free agent at the end of the season, so it's not guaranteed he would re-sign with the team.
So, there is no need to worry Mavs fans. The team doesn't seem to have an interest in Jimmy Butler at this juncture. Plus, the team should be able to bounce back and get back to their winning ways once all their players come back from injuries.
The Mavericks have bigger problems to worry about outside of making an ill-advised move for Butler, as they are on a four-game losing streak amid all of their injuries and seemingly endless locker room illness. The team will look to bounce back on Monday night when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies at the American Airlines Center.
