The Dallas Mavericks were not content standing pat as the NBA’s trade deadline approached. In his first significant move as general manager, Nico Harrison orchestrated a trade with the Washington Wizards, dealing center Kristaps Porzingis in exchange for point guard Spencer Dinwiddie and power forward/center Davis Bertans, according to multiple reports.
Dallas will also send a second-round pick to Washington, according to ESPN. As part of the deal, the Mavericks will release center Moses Brown to create necessary roster space to absorb the two players.
Porzingis has three-years left on his record five-year, $158.25 million contract that he signed with the Mavericks in the summer of 2019. He holds a player option worth $36.01 million in the final season of the deal.
This season, Porzingis is averaging 19.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. He has shooting averages of 45.1% overall and 28.3% on three-point attempts. Porzingis hasn’t played in a game since January 29 as he is dealing with a bone bruise in his right knee. He has appeared in 34 games this year.
In Dinwiddie, the Mavericks get a capable veteran point guard–and cryptocurrency enthusiast–who has shown the ability to run an offense as a starter or in a reserve role. He has two years remaining on his three-year, $54 million contract. He becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
Dinwiddie is averaging 12.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists this season. He isn’t shooting the ball particularly well, though, with averages of 37.6% overall and 31% from deep.
The addition of Dinwiddie offers some degree of insurance this summer, at least one ESPN analyst noted. The Dallas Mavericks are looking to retain guard Jalen Brunson, who has developed into a starter for the team.
Brunson will likely draw the interest of many teams when he enters free agency this summer. He’ll also be looking for a major pay day. If he slips through Dallas’ grasp and signs elsewhere, the Mavericks could look to Dinwiddie to fill that void.
As for Bertans, he has three seasons remaining on his five-year, $80 million contract. He has a player option worth $16 million in the final year.
He is averaging 5.7 points and 1.8 rebounds this season off the bench while shooting 35.1% overall and 31.9% from behind the arc. Bertans appeared in 34 games with the Wizards.
The Mavericks swung for the fences to acquire Porzingis in a trade with the New York Knicks in February 2019. Dallas sent New York Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and two future first-round draft picks in exchange for Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke and Courtney Lee.
Although Porzingis has performed well at times, he never fully lived up to the lofty expectations of being the team’s second-best player behind three-time All-Star Luka Doncic. As such, rumors have swirled for years about the Mavericks’ interest in unloading Porzingis.
As recently as Thursday morning, one such report indicated that Dallas was looking into sending Porzingis to the Toronto Raptors for veteran point guard Goran Dragic. The San Antonio Spurs later traded for Dragic. Reports indicate that the Spurs will buy him out, with the Mavericks being a favored suitor.
With one bold move, Nico Harrison and the Mavericks bid farewell to the era of Kristaps Porzingis in Dallas. In doing so, Harrison ushered in his own era, signaling his willingness to act audaciously to re-envision the Maverick’s roster.
