Mavericks’ next unstoppable big three is one rumored trade away from reality

The Dallas Mavericks have lost nine of their last 11 games, but it sounds like help is finally away.

Anthony Davis is set to return to the lineup soon, with a high likelihood that he will play on Dallas’ upcoming five-game road trip. Davis has been out since February 8 when he went down with an adductor strain in his Mavs debut, and the team has suffered ever since.

The Mavericks have also been without Kyrie Irving for most of this month, as he tore his ACL in a game against the Sacramento Kings earlier this month, and the potential of this team is limited, regardless of when and if Davis comes back.

Dallas knows that good things take time, and just like their trades have gone in the past, it may take time for Davis to fully settle into the Mavs’ system. He looked outstanding in his debut when he finished with 26 points and 16 rebounds, but it seems like fans won’t get to see the true potential of this team until next season when the Irving-Davis duo is healthy.

Mavericks’ potential trade pursuit of Durant is impossible to ignore

Nico Harrison made this trade for Davis with the hope that he and Irving could lead the Mavericks back to the NBA Finals, and he could explore adding one more star to this core to make a strong championship push next season.

The Mavericks were heavily interested in Kevin Durant at this year’s trade deadline even though a deal didn’t get done, and with it being highly likely that Durant gets traded this summer, Dallas could be a team that pulls the trigger to make him a Maverick. A big three of Durant, Irving, and Davis would be one of the best trios of all time on paper, but it would take a massive haul to get him.

The Mavericks would have to trade several high-level role players with decent salaries to match Durant’s $54.7 million salary, and this is the type of trade that Harrison could explore to truly go all in, regardless of the risk that comes with it. Durant getting traded to the Mavericks makes too much sense, and this seems like a move Harrison will explore again in the offseason.

This year for the Phoenix Suns, Durant is averaging 26.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from downtown, and he is still playing at an elite level at the age of 36 years old. The Mavericks badly need another scorer who can create their own shot, and Durant would be the perfect player for them to chase to hold them over until Irving returns at some point, likely in 2026.

This move would cripple the Mavs when it comes to the future, as they’d likely have to give up significant draft capital, but Harrison has shown he is dedicated to making a team for now. He showed this when he traded away Luka Doncic before he hit his prime, and no move is off the table for this team moving forward.

Durant’s three-level scoring, Davis’ defense and paint dominance, and Irving’s all-around offensive game would be impossible to stop, and a trade to bring Durant to Dallas may be exactly what Harrison needs to do to win fans back. Many season ticket holders are not renewing their tickets for next year, and this type of blockbuster trade would ensure the American Airlines Center is rocking once again.