The Dallas Mavericks made one of the biggest trades in recent memory as they acquired 8-time All-Star and former NBA champion Kyrie Irving. It was rather shocking to see the deal go through, especially because there might have been even more offers on the table for the services of the 2016 champion. The point guard is expected to make the Mavericks a much better team because his partnership with Luka Doncic will make waves in the Western Conference. Irving, despite criticism of his off-court comments and ideas, is posting 27.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 5.3 APG this season for the 32-20 Brooklyn Nets.

Irving has been winning many games with the Nets, so it is a shocker why he would want to leave, especially with Kevin Durant by his side. Regardless, the Dallas Mavericks had to take a risk and go after Irving because a player of his caliber hardly becomes available. Dallas has taken a big step in the West, but they might not be done just yet. Despite having two of the most talented offensive players in the league, the Mavericks must continue to make trades to ensure they finish with a top-3 seed in the West.

Luckily, there are major moves the Mavericks can make to improve the roster before the February 9th trade deadline. Teams are still looking to discuss changes over the next few days, and there are three major packages that Dallas can entertain to improve their team and actually create a dynamic Big Three. As great as Luka and Kyrie look on paper, they will need a bit more help to make the NBA Finals because the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Los Angeles Clippers are all title contenders this year. Here are the three packages the Dallas Mavericks can entertain to add to the pairing of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

NBA
Mavericks shopping Christian Wood, JaVale McGee, Tim Hardaway Jr.

 

A New Starting Power Forward

Dallas Mavericks Receive: John Collins

Atlanta Hawks Recieve: Christian Wood, Dwight Powell, 2027 First-Round Pick

John Collins has been in trade rumors over the past few seasons. By all accounts of what he can do on both ends of the floor, John Collins is a very nice player. He has a soft touch on the inside and can be a go-to scorer when needed, along with strong ability on the boards. Averaging a career 16.1 PPG and 8.2 RPG makes the 25-year-old a very nice asset for almost every team, and the Hawks could cash in on him before the trade deadline. Collins is not particularly thriving right now with the Hawks, however.

The power forward’s numbers are down as he is posting 13.2 PPG and 7.4 RPG on 51.0% from the field, 25.3% from three, and 78.9% from the free-throw line. Collins has tremendous upside as a talented inside-outside scorer and a defensive player, and he could benefit from playing alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Without disrespect to Trae Young, who is a bona fide star, he is not on Luka’s level as an all-around player, and Collins could benefit from that when he gets better looks. There is certainly a difference between a double-team and a triple-team on the court.