On Monday morning, the NBA offseason got even crazier as a three-team trade went down between the LA Clippers, Utah Jazz, and Miami Heat that sent Norman Powell to the Heat, John Collins to the Clippers, and Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson, and a second-round pick to the Jazz. Right as the offseason seemed to slow down, it picked back up again with Powell changing teams after an excellent season with the Clippers, and this move has sent shockwaves through the NBA world.
While the Dallas Mavericks were not part of this trade, they could quietly become big winners due to this move since it created a large trade exception for the Jazz. The Mavs and the Jazz were just trade partners, as Danny Ainge helped facilitate the trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers by absorbing former Lakers guard Jalen Hood-Schifino's contract, and the two teams could strike up another deal this offseason.
Since the Mavs decided to re-sign Dante Exum to a one-year deal, it's clear that some sort of trade is coming to create a roster spot for Exum, and the Jazz may be the perfect team to trade with since they can absorb a salary from Dallas in a potential trade. The Mavs' roster now has 16 players on standard deals, and while it remains unknown who will get traded, a roster move will inevitably happen before the start of the regular season.
Mavericks are in prime position to make under-the-radar trade with Jazz
It has already been rumored that the Mavs are looking to trade Olivier-Maxence Prosper in an effort to create an extra roster spot, but with Utah now having this trade exception, Dallas could end up trading a different player to the Jazz, depending on who they'd be interested in acquiring.
The Jazz are in an interesting spot, as they have made several trades this offseason that show they aren't actively trying to push for the NBA Playoffs, and with them looking to tank, some of Dallas' young players could intrigue them.
One potential candidate could be Jaden Hardy, as he hasn't developed as much as Mavericks fans may have hoped over his three-year career thus far, and the three-year, $18 million extension that he signed before last season kicks in this season.
$6 million per season may seem like a steep price for Hardy from the Jazz's perspective, but Utah could end up being interested, considering that they traded Collin Sexton earlier this offseason and need some guard depth. Utah would be the perfect spot for Hardy to develop and grow his game while getting to play as freely as he'd like, and this could end up being a sneaky move for both sides.
The Jazz are in no position to win right now, and taking a chance on a player like Prosper or Hardy could pay dividends in the long run. Both Prosper and Hardy have untapped potential that may not be reachable if they remain in Dallas while only playing limited minutes, and Utah would give them the minutes they need to pan out.
On top of the trade exception that the Jazz could use to strike up a deal with Dallas, Powell leaving the Western Conference is also a plus for Dallas. While Collins joining the Clippers gives them some more frontcourt depth that they clearly needed, Powell had the best season of his career last season, and Mavs fans should be thankful that they only have to face him twice per year now.
