The Dallas Mavericks are known for making aggressive moves at the trade deadline, as they have made three huge trades over the last three years that have significantly impacted the composition of the team.
In 2022, they traded Kristaps Pozingis in a deal for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans. While this trade was considered a bit of an underpay by the Washington Wizards at the time, it hugely paid off for the Mavs as they reached the Western Conference Finals that year.
The following season, Dallas sent Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith to the Brooklyn Nets in a trade for Kyrie Irving, and even though the Mavs missed the playoffs that year, this trade is looking like a robbery by Dallas in the long run.
Last season, the Mavs made trades for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, and both of these trades helped the team reach the NBA Finals.
Mavs could repeat history by trading for Jimmy Butler
The Mavs are no stranger to making deadline deals for superstars such as they did for Irving, and according to a recent rumor, they could be in the hunt to make another move like this in a few months.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, "within league circles, there’s been quiet discourse about whether the Houston Rockets or Dallas Mavericks will eventually land Butler, a Texas native, should he and Miami decide to part ways."
It would be extremely challenging for the Mavs to make a trade work with the Miami Heat to begin with due to how much money Dallas would have to send out to take on Jimmy Butler's contract, but if the Mavs happened to feel strong about Butler moving the needle enough to guarantee a trip back to the NBA Finals, Nico Harrison may be intrigued enough to pull the trigger.
Harrison is never afraid to make big trades when needed, and while it doesn't look like a major roster shakeup is necessary this year, things could quickly change by the time February rolls around.
This season for the Heat, Butler is averaging 18.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from downtown. He has shown signs of age over the last few years as he has battled injuries and is in his 14th season, but he can still provide a huge impact on a contender.
He can still move his feet and lock down on defense when needed, and his finishing around the rim is outstanding. His off-ball cutting would make him a great fit in an offense headlined by Luka Doncic and Irving, but once again, the logistics of this trade are nearly impossible.
The Mavs are in the hunt for a top seed in the West, and trading several of their role players to the Heat in exchange for a Butler may be too big of a swing for a team that is contending for a championship. Their backs aren't against the wall right now, and risking imploding what they have going on right now would be a bit of a shock.
This year is completely different than the year that Dallas traded for Irving, and they are in a much different spot, so the odds of them making another blockbuster trade to bring in Butler don't seem high right now. The Mavs have a shot at making this blockbuster deal for Butler, but it shouldn't be expected at this juncture.
