The Dallas Mavericks are amid one of the most confusing seasons in franchise history. The team started with a slew of moves by trading away Luka Doncic in shocking fashion to the Los Angeles Lakers and then rounded out their deadline by trading Quentin Grimes to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Along with the head-scratching decisions at the trade deadline, the team has also dealt with with one of the biggest injury bugs in the league. Not only did the Mavericks lose superstar Kyrie Irving for the season with a torn ACL, but they also lost Anthony Davis in his debut game who could return to the hardwood soon.
The Mavericks' injury bug in combination with surprising trades at the deadline has left fans shocked and angry. To make matters worse the Mavericks traded away a valuable second-round pick to the 76ers in the trade for Caleb Martin.
Martin hasn't panned out in his time as a Mav but the second-round pick given to Philadelphia has only gotten better with the unfortunate news of Sixers forward Paul George's latest injury news. George received injections into his left adductor and knee, and he is set to miss the rest of the season.
Mavs' trade with Sixers looks even worse after George's injury
The Mavericks likely traded Quentin Grimes to avoid contract extension talks in the offseason while also giving some other players a chance at making a name for themselves. Not only has this trade backfired because Grimes' play has only elevated as a Sixer, but the second-round pick given to Philadelphia just jumped in value with George missing the remainder of the season.
The pick that Dallas sent to Philadelphia in the Grimes-Martin swap was the Sixers' own second-round pick, which is set to be one of the top picks in the second round. With George now set to miss the final month of the season, this should cause Philadelphia to lose even more, skyrocketing the value of the pick.
Grimes playing well in Philly is one thing but also considering the pick that Dallas traded away has only grown in value has gotten fans even more angry at Nico Harrison and the team's front office. Harrison has no doubt been told by the fans how disgruntled they are but this could have been the straw that broke the camel's back if the Sixers' draft pick pans out.
The second-rounder traded to Philadelphia is currently sitting at the 36 spot, which is only six picks into the second round. Considering how Dallas' season has gone thus far, this draft pick could no doubt be used to help the team in the future.
The 2025 NBA Draft class is headlined by Duke superstar Cooper Flagg and plenty of talent in the lottery pool. This year's draft class could prove to be one of the better classes in recent memory with its headline of future stars and players who could make a difference in the second round.
Dallas is in desperate need of young talent and guards who can run an NBA-level offense. There's no guarantee the Mavericks would hit a homerun in the second round but giving yourself more odds at selecting a difference-maker in the draft could have given Maverick fans hope.
Now, the Sixers will have better odds at selecting a young player to help build around their aging roster.
Mavericks fans have every right to be angry, especially given the fact that the Sixers just got better odds at a valuable second-rounder given to them by Dallas. Assuming Philly's draft pick pans out, Dallas' 2025 trade deadline could go down as one of the worst trade deadlines ever.
