With the Dallas Mavericks succumbing to the Boston Celtics in five games in the 2024 NBA Finals, it was evident that the Mavs needed another star or a third component to complement Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
This offseason, the Mavericks will be hunting for players to improve their roster.
However, the Mavericks will need to be cautious about who they add to their roster. For the past two years, one man has continued to improve his game while playing for the struggling Portland Trail Blazers.
Jerami Grant listed as ‘dream’ trade target for Mavericks this summer
Two days ago, Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer wrote an article headlined “10 Players Who Could Complete a Contender,” in which he selected Jerami Grant as the Dallas Mavericks’ “dream fit.”
Given Grant’s performance with the Blazers, it’s understandable that Dallas would explore dealing for him.
Grant averaged more than 20 points per game for the Blazers the previous two seasons, including 21 this past season. The Mavericks would be adding another scorer to their roster, which they might have utilized in the Finals. In the Finals, it was clear that Boston had a deeper roster with players who could score.
In the Finals, the Mavs struggled particularly with three-point shooting. In Game 5 of the Finals, the Mavericks made 11 of 37 three-pointers against the Celtics. Grant has shot 40% from three over the last two seasons. If Grant were to be moved to Dallas, the team would gain an outstanding 3-point shooter. Grant is also aggressive, capable of driving to the hoop for layups and dunks.
The Mavericks had previously been linked to trade rumors involving Grant. These rumors have circulated for several seasons, and they persisted until the trade deadline last season.
Grant might be a terrific addition to the lineup, since the team needs a third star to have another chance at winning the championship.
With fans speculating that Tim Hardaway Jr. could leave, Dallas could use Hardaway Jr. in a deal for Grant. Dallas has other possible pieces on the roster that they may use to trade for Grant.
General manager Nico Harrison has done an excellent job of arranging transactions to make the Mavericks contenders. He made major transactions before the trade deadline in February to help the Mavs become a formidable contender, and he dealt for Irving the year before. With a history of transactions, Harrison can find another scorer and add an outside shooting threat to Dallas’ roster.
