NBA Trade Rumors: Dame Lillard to New York Knicks? Why Not Mavs?

DallasBasketball.com brings you NBA updates as they relate to your Dallas Mavericks and the rest of the league.

The Dallas Mavericks have had a roller coaster ride of a season so far, and it can be hard to keep up with every single thing that’s happening with the team.

Here, you will be able to keep up with a updates related to the Mavs and the rest of the NBA as a whole. From roster cuts, to trade rumors, to COVID updates and more, we’ll have it all covered for you right here. 

Stay tuned to DallasBasketball.com for all recent updates.

FEB 1 DAME TO NEW YORK? HOW ABOUT DALLAS

According to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, superstar point guard Damian Lillard’s “next destination” could be the New York Knicks if he can’t workout another extension with the Portland Trail Blazers. It’s been a long time since the Knicks have had a star of Lillard’s level play at Madison Square Garden as a home player, but if Dame wants to truly contend in the final chapter of his career, there could be better options for him.

One of those options could be the Dallas Mavericks. Not only does Lillard already have a good relationship with Dallas general manager Nico Harrison, but adding that kind of true star next to Luka Doncic would immediately elevate the Mavs to title-contending status.

Ultimately, Lillard’s love for Portland is strong. Every time rumors arise, he combats them swiftly, so until comes out and actually demands a trade, all of this speculation might be for nothing. But… if that day does come, the New York Knicks shouldn’t be the top destination on Dame’s list.

JAN 31 JAZZ LOSE JOE INGLES TO ACL INJURY

As bad of a night as the Dallas Mavericks had on Sunday by losing a close game to a lowly Orlando Magic team, their Western Conference foe Utah Jazz continue to have it worse than they do.

The Jazz lost by 20 points to the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was Utah's fifth-straight loss and eighth loss in its last 10 games. But the biggest blow came when long-tenured Jazz role player Joe Ingles went down with a torn ACL according to multiple reports. Ingles' knee buckled with no contact on a drive to the rim in the second quarter.

The Jazz, Nuggets and Mavs appear to be a in a middle tier all to themselves, given that they're all separated by just one game in the West standings as we enter the final stretch of the season. Dallas and Denver are currently on much different trajectories than Utah is right now. We'll find out soon if any of these teams will do anything at the NBA trade deadline in attempt to graduate to the upper tier of the conference.

JAN 29 KP OUT WITH KNEE SORENESS

The Dallas Mavericks announced in the second quarter of their game against the Indiana Pacers that Kristaps Porzingis will not return with right knee soreness.

Porzingis had five points on 2-of-5 shooting from the field in just 11 minutes when he went out of the game. Hopefully this is more of a caution thing than it is an actual injury. Stay tuned to DallasBasketball.com for updates.

JAN 28 SHAQ - BEN SIMMONS BEEF?

As the Lakers took on the 76ers last night on TNT, Shaq didn’t beat around the bush when giving his thoughts on Ben Simmons, who has yet to suit up for Philadelphia this season by choice.

"The difference between (Joel Embiid) and his soft partner is he can take criticism without being a crybaby,” said O’Neal. “Great players step up to the criticism and perform. So this other guy, I don't respect him. I would get rid of him."

Shaq might would simply ‘get rid of him,’ but 76ers GM Daryl Morey apparently doesn’t share that same mindset, as the asking price for Simmons remains astronomically high. Will this change before the NBA trade deadline? We only have two more weeks to find out.

JAN 27 ALL-STAR STARTERS REVEALED... NO LUKA?

On Thursday, the NBA revealed the starters for the 2022 All-Star game, and Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic didn't make the cut after two-consecutive seasons of starting on All-Star Weekend.

The Western Conference NBA All-Star starters include: Ja Morant, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Nikola Jokic and... Andrew Wiggins. Yes, you read that correctly. Andrew Wiggins is starting in the NBA All-Star game.

The Eastern Conference NBA All-Star starters include: DeMar DeRozan, Trae Young, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Although Doncic has picked up his level of play lately, his sluggish start to the 2021-22 season was the biggest reason for him not being able to make it as a starter this time around. That, plus the rise of Morant and the fact that Wiggins somehow got enough votes to get in. Regardless, though, Doncic will surely still be at All-Star Weekend as a reserve having just as much fun as he always does.

JAN 26 NBA REFLECTS ON KOBE

Today marks two full years since the tragic passing of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, something that still doesn’t feel real for many people around the world. On January 26, 2020, Bryant, his daughter GiAnna, and seven others passed away in an unfortunate helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.

Bryant was a pillar in the NBA community and a global icon in both basketball and business. Many players still honor Bryant to this day, whether it’s on the court or on social media. Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic, for example, still has pictures of Kobe and ‘Gigi’ as his Twitter profile and cover pictures.

The night before the accident occurred, LeBron James passed Bryant on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Kobe’s final tweet was to congratulate LeBron on what he had accomplished while wearing the same purple and gold that Bryant did for two decades.

JAN 25 HARDAWAY JR. INJURY UPDATE

On Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal on his left foot and will not return to the game.

More updates should be made available later on, but it is likely that Hardaway Jr. will miss significant time with this injury.

JAN 24 MARK CUBAN GOING PHARMACEUTICAL

Mark Cuban is probably best-known as being the owner of the Dallas Mavericks and a big part of ABC’s Shark Tank, but now the billionaire entrepreneur is getting into the pharmaceutical industry for the greater good.

© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Cuban launched an online pharmacy on Thursday called the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. His mission is to provide pricing transparency with drug manufacturers to make many expensive drugs more affordable for Americans.

For example, the leukemia drug imatinib, which is normally retailed at $9,657 per month would only be $47 per month with Cuban’s new company. Could this potentially be another step in the direction of Cuban potentially running for President?

JAN 21 LAKERS MAKE OFFER FOR GRANT

According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, the Los Angeles Lakers have put in a bid for Detroit Pistons’ Jerami Grant. The trade offer? Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn and their 2027 first round pick.

With all due respect to the Lakers, the Mavs would be more than capable of beating that offer, as we recently wrote about here. Will the Mavs try to put in their bid next? Stay tuned to DallasBasketball.com for all Mavs trade rumors and updates.

JAN 21 LUKA TOP-5 JERSEY SALES

On Friday, the NBA announced its jersey sales numbers through the first half of the 2021-2022 season. In order from top to bottom, here is what the top-five on that list looked like: LeBron James, Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic.

This comes as a surprise to no one, as Doncic's worldwide popularity continues to grow every season. The Dallas Mavericks, who currently sit at No. 10 in total NBA jersey sales, might be more towards the middle of the pack if it wasn't for 'Luka Magic.'

JAN 20 BARKLEY BLASTS LAKERS Charles Barkley is using his TNT forum to establish that the Los Angeles Lakers' problems aren't all the fault of "scapegoats'' point guard Russell Westbrook and head coach Frank Vogel.

“The way they have tried to throw Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel under the bus is just really pissing me off,” Barkley said, adding later, "I’m not going to sit here like all those clowns from other networks that have their heads up the Lakers’ booties. They’re blaming Frank Vogel and Russell Westbrook. Listen, the people up top that put that trash together are running and hiding like cowards saying, ‘Oh, it’s Frank and it’s Russ.’ They put all them old geezers out there.”

"The way they have tried to throw Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel under the bus is just really pissing me off."

Chuck goes off on the Lakers. #NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/qdDx84S7Fj

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 21, 2022

The Lakers entered Thursday with a record of 22-23, good for eighth in the West.

JAN 18 FORMER MAVS PARSONS RETIRES

According to multiple reports, former Dallas Mavericks Chandler Parsons has officially retired from playing basketball. Parsons unfortunately suffered career-ending injuries from a car accident he was involved in back in 2020.

During his time with the Mavs, which began by signing an offer sheet in a club with Mark Cuban, Parsons averaged 15 points, five rebounds and three assists per game while shooing nearly 40 percent from deep. He was always a positive contributor when he was healthy, but his knees just couldn't hold up. 

JAN 16 KD TO MISS TIME WITH KNEE INJURY

According to the Brooklyn Nets, superstar Kevin Durant is expected to miss at least four-to-six weeks due to a sprained MCL in his left knee. The 33-year-old, who has bounced back from his achilles tear from two years ago in amazing fashion, is having himself an MVP-worthy season, averaging 29.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while having nearly 50-40-90 efficiency.

The Dallas Mavericks endured a 102-99 loss to the Nets back on December 7, despite having a 17-point lead at one point. Dallas plays in Brooklyn on March 16, so Durant should be back in action for that one assuming no setbacks occur.

JAN 15 MAVS WAIVE WILLIE; SIGN CHRISS

According to multiple reports, the Dallas Mavericks have waived Willie Cauley-Stein and also signed Marquese Chriss to a two-year contract.

As we had been saying for a while now, this was the easiest way for the Mavs to make room for Chriss on the roster. Dallas surely tried to trade Cauley-Stein’s expiring contract, but everyone around the league knew this end result was likely, so it didn’t make much sense for other teams to bite.

JAN 14 CAVS HIRE JOSE CALDRON

According to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnaroski, the Cleveland Cavaliers have hired former Dallas Mavericks point guard Jose Calderon to a role in their front office.

Calderon only spent one season in Dallas, but he became a fan favorite during his brief stint. He averaged 11 points and five assists for the Mavs during the 2013-14 season and shot an impressive 45 percent from deep. Calderon was a big part of that 8-seeded Mavs team that nearly took down the 1-seeded Spurs in a 7-game series that year.

It’s nice to see Calderon getting back into the NBA as an executive this time around. He should thrive at it.

JAN 13 MORANT PASSES DONCIC IN ALL-STAR VOTING

The NBA’s second returns on fan All-Star voting are in, and Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has surpassed Luka Doncic for what would be the second starting guard spot in the West.

Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant, Lakers‘ LeBron James and Bulls‘ DeMar DeRozan continue to lead in the NBA’s second All-Star Game fan voting returns: pic.twitter.com/Ml9CPPdvLi

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 13, 2022

The fan vote only accounts for 25 percent of the total vote, but given how Morant has played this season for the surging Grizzlies, it wouldn’t be a shocker if these results hold up. Morant and Doncic can potentially work this situation out on Friday night, as the Mavs look to take down the Grizzlies on the road.

JAN 13 SHAQ GIVING UP ON KINGS?

On Thursday, Marc Stein reported that Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal has sold his interest in the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings have missed the playoffs for 15-straight seasons, which ties the NBA record for the longest postseason drought ever. At 17-27 nearly halfway through this season, it looks like the Kings could be on their way to breaking the drought record.

Shaq has thrown in the towel on the Kings, who obviously weren’t a very profitable investment. Will Sacramento finally blow things up before the February 10 trade deadline? We have less than a month to find out.

Buddy Hield, Richaun Holmes and even former Maverick Harrison Barnes would all fit in very nice to what the Dallas Mavericks are trying to build.

JAN 10 MAVS SIGNING CHRISS TO 3RD 10-DAY

The Mavs announced on Monday that they have requested waivers on two-way contract player JaQuori McLaughlin. This is the second two-way player Dallas has waived this season, with the first being Eugene Omoruyi.

The Mavs recently signed Theo Pinson to a two-way contract, so they now have another one open. Marquese Chriss has been in the league too long to be in consideration for a two-way contract, but maybe some roster gymnastics can be done here.

To keep Chriss on the main roster, perhaps the Mavs could waive Moses Brown, sign Brown back to a two-way contract, then sign Chriss to the regular roster. It’s tricky, but it could work.

JAN 10 MAVS SIGNING CHRISS TO 3RD 10-DAY

According to a report from Marc Stein, the Mavs are signing big man Marquese Chriss to a third 10-day hardship contract while Kristaps Porzingis remains in COVID protocols.

Although a guaranteed contract for the rest of the season would make the most sense for Chriss at this point, given his level of play, the Mavs must still be trying to run out ground balls with a potential trade that could open up a roster spot. Ultimately, though, Dallas will more than likely have to waive Willie Cauley-Stein to make things work out.

JAN 8 COUSINS TO DENVER - MAVS WERE INTERESTED?

After finishing up a 10-day contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, DeMarcus Cousins is signing another 10-day contract, this time with the Denver Nuggets, according to multiple reports.

A separate report from The Undefeated's Marc Spears claims that the Mavs "expressed interest in Cousins. If this report had come a few weeks back when Dallas was smuggling heavily due to injuries and COVID absences, perhaps we would give it a little more attention.

However, even if the Mavs did show some level of interest in signing Cousins, we believe the better idea here would be focusing on not letting Marquese Chriss, who is seven years younger than Cousins, fall through the cracks. The end of Chriss' second 10-day contract is coming up, and the Mavs will need to either waive a player on the current 15-man roster or make a trade in order to keep him.

Chriss is just 24 years old and has fit like a glove in Dallas so far, so there's no reason for the Mavs to jeopardize in our opinion.

I am here once again, this time at 1:18am CT, to tell you that the Mavs should give Marquese Chriss a real contact. pic.twitter.com/cnfAtHnKdD

— Dalton Trigg (@dalton_trigg) January 8, 2022

JAN 8 MAVS TRYING TO KEEP CHRISS

According to a report from Marc Stein, the Mavs are ‘exploring ways’ to make roster room for 10-day big man Marquese Chriss. Like we stated in the previous update, a new Chriss contract seems imminent given how well he’s fit in with the rest of the Dallas roster.

Although waiving Willie Cauley-Stein would be the easiest way to make room for Chriss, perhaps the Mavs can instead formulate a trade of some kind to open up another roster spot while also best utilizing Cauley-Stein’s $4 million expiring contract.

JAN 8 MAVS SIGNING THEO PINSON TO TWO-WAY

According to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Mavs are signing Theo Pinson to a two-way contract. Pinson had signed two 10-day hardship contracts with Dallas up to this point and showed some nice flashes on the court when getting a chance to play.

If the Mavs are keeping Pinson around, then you'd think the next news we get is big man Marquese Chriss getting a new contract for the rest of the season.

JAN 8 LUKA QUESTIONABLE, KP OUT VS. BULLS

The Mavs announced on Saturday afternoon that Luka Doncic (ankle sprain) is 'questionable' to play against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday when Dallas tries to extend its season-best win streak to six games.

Kristaps Porzingis (NBA health and safety protocols) and Willie Cauley-Stein (personal) will remain OUT.

JAN 8 IT GOODBYE 

Isaiah Thomas' 10-day contract with Dallas expires before the Mavericks' next game Sunday … and too bad it couldn’t have been more fun while it lasted.

Thomas' brief Mavs moment will then come to an end, league sources tell Marc Stein.

Thomas, the long-time NBA standout trying to re-start his career, was part of a flurry of recent Dallas signings ignited by a COVID outbreak. But he could only play in one game as a Maverick before he was forced to enter the league's health and safety protocols.

JAN 3 PORZINGIS IN PROTOCOLS

The Mavericks say Kristaps Porzingis has entered the league's health and safety protocols. He was sidelined for Dallas' previous outing for rest. 

Over his previous four outings, Porzingis averaged 27.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. He was finding a rhythm just as Luka Doncic was returning from the protocol. 

DEC 30 IT TO COVID 

The Mavericks say Isaiah Thomas has entered the league’s health and safety protocols after just one game with Dallas.

The Mavericks, who have utilized an NBA-high 24 players this season, say Thomas joins Trey Burke, Luka Dončić, Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber, Brandon Knight, Boban Marjanović and JaQuori McLaughlin in protocols and thus will be part of that large group that is out of the Friday game at Sacramento.

• Jared Allen, Defensive End – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers
• Willie Anderson, Offensive Tackle – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens
• Ronde Barber, Cornerback/Safety – 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Tony Boselli, Offensive Tackle – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve)
• LeRoy Butler, Safety – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers
• Devin Hester, Punt Returner/Kick Returner/Wide Receiver – 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens
• Torry Holt, Wide Receiver – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
• Andre Johnson, Wide Receiver – 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans
• Sam Mills, Linebacker – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers
• Richard Seymour, Defensive End/Defensive Tackle – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders
• Zach Thomas, Linebacker – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys
• DeMarcus Ware, Linebacker/Defensive End – 2005-2013 Dallas Cowboys, 2014-16 Denver Broncos
• Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
• Patrick Willis, Linebacker – 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers
• Bryant Young, Defensive Tackle/Defensive End – 1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers

DEC 29 PM

The Dallas Mavericks have two more players entering health and safety protocols on Wednesday — Boban Marjanovic and recently signed Brandon Knight. As a result of this development, Dallas is signing veteran guard Isaiah Thomas, who will be in uniform by the time the Mavs take on the Kings tonight, according to reports.

DEC 22 NOON

The Dallas Mavericks are signing nine-year veteran guard Brandon Knight to a 10-day hardship exception contract according to a report from ESPN.

The 30-year-old guard has played for five teams during his career, and his last NBA stint was for the Detroit Pistons during the 2019-2020 season.

UPDATE: Knight is now official as of 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

Knight, who played for Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd as a member of the Bucks in 2014-15, was with the G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce. He was taken eighth overall by Detroit in the 2011 NBA Draft and went on to earn NBA All-Rookie First Team honors for the Pistons in 2011-12.

Knight will wear No. 20 for the Mavericks.

DEC 22 AM

The Dallas Mavericks are signing Texas Legends guard Carlik Jones to a 10-day hardship exception contract, according to a report by The Athletic.

The 6-foot point guard has averaged 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in 10 games for the Legends so far this season while shooting nearly 45-percent from the field.

Jones also flashed potential for the Mavs in Summer League play, so it was probably only a matter of time before he got a call-up in one form or another.

DEC 21 PM

On Tuesday, Mavs shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. As a result, Dallas has signed Charlie Brown of Delaware’s G-League team to a 10-day hardship contract.

Yes, Charlie Brown. And we’re not trying to be insensitive about the seriousness of the situation; call it “gallows humor” and recognize “Peanuts” as being in the spirit of the season.

Anyway, the Mavericks now how four players total in the league’s health and safety protocols.

DEC 21 AM

After Maxi Kleber was added to Covid protocols, the team is signing George King from the G-League's Agua Caliente Clippers to a 10-day contract via the hardship exception.

The Dallas Mavericks plan to sign forward George King to a 10-day hardship deal out of NBA G League’s Agua Caliente, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 21, 2021

DEC 20 PM

Maxi Kleber was added to the list of Mavs players on the Covid protocol list. He joins Reggie Bullock and Josh Green, who were added earlier on Dec. 20. 

DEC 20 AM

The Mavs are making two roster moves to add healthy and available bodies. Coming aboard are Marquese Chriss (read more here) and Theo Pinson (read more here).

Additionally, along with Reggie Bullock and Josh Green, Dallas has two assistant coaches on the COVID list ... and in-house questions, posed by coach Jason Kidd, about whether LeBron James' Lakers triggered it all.

DECEMBER 19, 2021 4:00 PM UPDATE:

As of today, there are 71 NBA players who are currently in the league's health and safety protocols. Here is the list of players by team who are out due to Covid as of today:

Hawks - Trae Young

Celtics - Al Horford, Grant Williams, Jabari Parker, Josh Richardson, Sam Hauser, Juancho Hernangomez, Brodric Thomas

Nets - Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, LaMarcus Aldridge, Bruce Brown, DeAndre Bembry, James Johnson, Paul Millsap, Day'Ron Sharpe, Jevon Carter

Bulls - Zach LaVine, Ayo Dosunmu, Troy Brown, Alize Johnson

Cavs - Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, Lamar Stevens, Dylan Windler, RJ Nembhard

Mavs - Reggie Bullock, Josh Green

Nuggets - Michael Porter Jr., Bol Bol

Warriors - Jordan Poole

Clippers - Marcus Morris

Lakers - Malik Monk, Talen Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard, Austin Reaves, Avery Bradley, Kent Bazemore

Grizzlies - Ziaire Williams

Heat - Caleb Martin

Bucks - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Wes Matthews, Donte DiVincenzo

Timberwolves - Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Anthony Edwards, Taurean Prince

Knicks - RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Miles McBride, Kevin Knox, Quentin Grimes

Magic - Mo Bamba, Terrence Ross, RJ Hampton, Moritz Wagner, Ignaz Brazdeikis

76ers - Shake Milton, Andre Drummond, Georges Niang

Kings - De'Aaron Fox, Davion Mitchell, Marvin Bagley III, Terence Davis, Alex Len, Louis King

Raptors - Gary Trent Jr., Pascal Siakam, Dalano Banton

The NBA announced today that these five upcoming games have been canceled due to teams having a shortage of available players:

Sunday, December 19 - Nuggets at Nets, Cavs at Hawks, Pelicans at 76ers

Monday, December 20 - Magic at Raptors

Tuesday, December 21 - Wizards at Nets

This brings the total of postponed NBA games to seven this season. Last season, the league postponed a total of 31 games.