Going Shopping? Mavericks Evaluating Trade Market for Christian Wood, Tim Hardaway Jr.

Following the acquisition of Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks reportedly hope to shed salary and continue upgrading roster ahead of Thursday's deadline.

Trade deadline week for the NBA is always quite the spectacle where you're eagerly checking your phone for updates, knowing that your screen-time usage will take a pretty significant jump for the week.

For the Dallas Mavericks, they kicked off the week with a bang by trading for Nets guard Kyrie Irving, which forms an undoubtedly potent superstar tandem with Luka Doncic. 

Despite adding the eight-time All-Star in Irving on Sunday, it sounds like the Mavericks aren't quite done yet.

On Tuesday, ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that Dallas remains active ahead of Thursday's deadline, as they're shopping veteran wing Tim Hardaway Jr.

Some of that financial maneuvering could happen before Thursday's trade deadline. The Mavs have been shopping shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., who is owed $34 million over the two remaining years on his contract, since last season, sources told ESPN. That is expected to continue leading up to the deadline, as second-year general manager Nico Harrison hopes to upgrade a 24th-ranked defense that took a significant hit with Finney-Smith's departure.

Hardaway Jr. has had an up and down season so far, as the streaky shooter has struggled to find a consistent stroke, averaging 13.8 points per game while shooting 35.1 percent from 3-point range.

With the departure of Finney-Smith, adding another above average perimeter defender is an ideal move for Dallas, especially if that means getting off the remining two years of THJ's deal.

MacMahon added that the Mavericks are also shopping Christian Wood, who Dallas has reportedly had contract extension discussions with, yet to no avail.

"I hope I'm not traded," Wood told the media prior to Monday's shootaround.

The Mavs know what it's like to lose an asset for nothing, as they did so with Jalen Brunson last offseason. So, whether it's re-signing Wood or getting something back for him via trade, Dallas essentially has two choices to make. 

Setting a roster up to not just win now, but be able to have flexibility going forward, is a tough task to execute, but that seems to be the plan for GM Nico Harrison, who has been aggressive in his first two seasons on the job. 

Adding Irving is a win-now move, but moving the contract of Hardaway Jr. along with Wood's expiring for financial relief and defensive upgrades? Now that would deserve a gold star.

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