Mavs Among 'Most Improved' NBA Teams After Trade Deadline

The Mavs made a few key changes to their roster using moves before the NBA trade deadline passed. How much better did they get?

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks were active for another year before the midseason trade deadline, acquiring P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford to add talent around a roster led by Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Dereck Lively II. 

With a 29-23 record before the new additions make their Mavs debut, making a change at power forward after the failed acquisition of Grant Williams while adding a needed backup center is likely to prove to make Dallas a more talented and deeper squad. How does their improvement stack up with other NBA teams? 

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Washington faces the chance to join a team where he can carve out a niche complementing an elite playmaker in Doncic. He's averaged 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 29.2 minutes per game this season, shooting 44.6 percent from the floor, 32.4 percent from the perimeter, and 71.3 percent on free throws.

Gafford already has a clear-cut NBA niche, being a rim protector, offensive rebounder, and interior play finisher. He's averaged 10.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 26.5 minutes per game, shooting 69.0 percent from the floor. He's joined by Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Davis, Nic Claxton, and Walker Kessler, who are the only players averaging at least two offensive rebounds and two blocks this season.  

When identifying the teams that improved the most using moves before the trade deadline, NBA Analysis Network identified the Mavs on their shortlist. There is a risk with future assets, but the team got "significantly better" in the short term. For it to be a success, a deep playoff run must be achieved. 

"The Mavericks flipped Grant Williams and a lightly protected first for P.J. Washington. They also sent out a protected first for Daniel Gafford. Dallas went all-in on the 2023-24 season," James Piercey wrote. "Was that wise? That isn’t the question. They got significantly better at the deadline. They’ll have to hope it results in a deep playoff run."

Risk is involved with any trade, like when the Mavs acquired Williams in a three-team sign-and-trade that required moving a 2030 first-round pick swap to the San Antonio Spurs. At the time, many felt the move would provide a needed boost, but ultimately, that proved false. Dallas deserves credit for not standing pat with a configuration that would not work, even if it involves future assets. The team is in a win-now window with Doncic as one of the NBA's top players, and Irving is 31. 

Luka Doncic, Mavs Speak on New Trade Additions P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford

Initial judgments will always be made with roster moves, but the games must be played before determining too much. For example, not only is it vital to see how players respond when filling new roles alongside different players, but it's also crucial how they react to how defenses play them in those situations. It could take time to figure all those layers out, but with Washington and Gafford being 25 and having multiple years left on their contracts, there is plenty of time.

Remember, the Mavs went from starting Williams at the four to benching him on Christmas Day, reducing his role to being a small ball five for a while as many of the team's big men were injured. Neither role worked. Richaun Holmes and Seth Curry rarely received minutes, either. It's tough to envision adding Washington and Gafford as not making them a better team, especially if the group can get healthy and avoid losing important players to multi-game absences as frequently.