As the days are counting down toward the draft and free agency, the Dallas Mavericks are going to be looking to add players to their roster to make it back to the NBA Finals. Dallas has already a team that has reportedly shown interest in drafting Bronny James, and there have also been some early trade rumors surrounding the team.
It was obvious that the Mavs were lacking one more piece when looking at how they compared to the Boston Celtics.
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the Mavs are expected to have interest in adding Tobias Harris of the Philadelphia 76ers. However, the only way Harris to Big D would work is through a sign-and-trade. Rumors of Harris joining the Mavs have happened before.
Mavericks must avoid making move for Tobias Harris at all costs
However, the Mavs should not make a move to acquire the 31-year-old forward and pursue other free agents or other trade targets.
It might sound shocking to some, but in his 13-year career, Harris has never made a single All-Star Game and has only averaged 20 points per game once. Harris' 20 points per game occurred in the 2018-19 season. After that season, the 76ers gave Harris a max contract for five years, $180 million.
The 76ers were missing a piece to their team with their then duo of All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. When they added Harris, some thought the 76ers could be a team to run the East. Even with adding Harris, the 76ers still didn't reach a Conference Finals in his five seasons in Philadelphia. Harris at times turned into a liability and disappeared, particularly in the Playoffs.
In 2021, the 76ers entered the Playoffs with the best record in the East. Against the Haws in the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Harris was criticized in two big games. Harris scored just five points in the 76ers' 26-point collapse in Game 5, then scored 24 points, but shot 8-of-24 (33 percent) from the field in Game 7. The next two years in the Playoffs, Harris failed to average 17 points per game, but 2024 would be Harris' worst Playoff performance in his career.
Against the Knicks in the 2024 first round, Harris averaged nine points per game, and in the Game 6 series loss, Harris went scoreless in 29 minutes on two field goal attempts. Those are not good numbers for a player on a max contract in the Playoffs.
With Harris' struggling Playoff history and his inconsistent scoring, it wouldn't be enough to put them over the top again in the West with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The Mavs need more of a scorer and Playoff performer to make their roster better, and although Harris could prove some people wrong next season, it is in Dallas' best interest to stay away.
One trade for a player this offseason that could make the Mavs a better team instead of Harris is Portland's Jerami Grant. The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor had Grant as a 'dream fit' for the Mavs. With a more consistent scorer and 3-point shooter on a struggling Trail Blazers team, Grant would be a better fit instead of Harris.
