The Dallas Mavericks are in an extremely tough spot this offseason, as the team is coming off one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history. After trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Dallas fell in the standings and ultimately ended up missing the NBA Playoffs for the second time in three years.
Dallas' end-of-season struggles can largely be blamed on injuries, but Nico Harrison's decision to trade Doncic didn't make things easier either. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong after Dallas traded Doncic did go wrong, and Harrison now has a lot of ground to make up this summer.
That starts tonight, as the Mavericks' draft position will be revealed in a few hours, and Harrison is also going to have the chance to make some noise in free agency and through the trade market as well. Harrison's "defense wins championships" mindset will be tested this summer when he is building his roster around Davis and Kyrie Irving, and one of the best defenders in the league now may be available via trade in Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Don't count out the Mavericks from the Antetokounmpo trade race yet
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, "Antetokounmpo is open-minded about exploring whether his best long-term fit is remaining in Milwaukee or playing elsewhere." This is some of the first real news that Antetokounmpo is open to playing elsewhere, and this is something the Mavericks should be all over.
Since the Mavericks didn't capitalize on maximizing Doncic's value when they traded him, getting Antetokounmpo to Dallas would be an uphill battle, but by no means is it impossible. The seemingly impossible already happened with Doncic getting traded, and no move can get ruled out now.
Antetokounmpo has two more years on his deal before having a player option ahead of the 2027-28 season, and he would be someone who would ignite excitement back into Mavericks basketball again if Harrison were somehow able to trade for him. Once again, Dallas' assets are extremely limited, so a trade to the Mavericks seems unlikely, but that all could change later tonight.
If the Mavericks were somehow able to jump into the top two of this summer's draft, they would possess a pick that could intrigue the Bucks enough to consider sending Antetokounmpo to Dallas. Antetokounmpo's playstyle fits exactly what Harrison and Jason Kidd love, and Kidd even coached Antetokounmpo during his days with the Bucks from 2014 until 2018, and they have a clear connection that remains to this day.
Last season for the Bucks, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 60.1 percent from the field. He remains one of the most unstoppable players in the NBA at 30 years old, and if the ping pong balls fall right later this evening, the Mavericks' chances of making a move for him go from nearly impossible to a possibility.
The chance at drafting Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper, along with matching salary and other draft capital, could be enough to get the Bucks to answer the phone, and while the Mavs could have to give up one of their stars to get the deal done, Antetokounmpo would change everything in Dallas.
