Mavs Free Agency: Should Dallas Sign 76ers' Paul Reed?
It's been a busy offseason for the Dallas Mavericks in the opening week of free agency as they've been one of the more active teams across the league.
On Wednesday, the Mavs landed one of their top restricted targets by trading for Boston's Grant Williams but Nico Harrison and company weren't done just yet. They also signed Portland's Matisse Thybulle to an offer sheet on Thursday morning, yet the Trail Blazers quickly matched.
With Thybulle returning to Portland, the Mavs now must pivot and utilize their MLE elsewhere.
Hornets forward P.J. Washington has been mentioned as a potential Mavericks target, but what about Philadelphia 76ers big man Paul Reed?
With the Mavs still workshopping a mediocre center rotation, the addition of Reed could be an enticing fit. In 69 games last season, Reed averaged just 4.2 points and 3.8 rebounds, but he shot 59 percent from the field in just under 11 minutes per game.
And sure, those per-game stats don't jump off the page, but when you're playing behind the league MVP in Joel Embiid, your role is expected to be rather small. But, in the eight games where Paul played 20 or more minutes last season, he averaged 12.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 68 percent from the field and notching a +144 plus/minus.
Reed's name, like Washington, has been quiet on the restricted free-agent market. Though opposing teams may have interest in ‘BBall Paul,’ the 76ers seem to be expected to match any offer sheet.
Reported by Yahoo! Sports' Jake Fischer on Wednesday, Philadelphia intend to retain Reed 'on all accounts.’ …Do they really, though?
Restricted free agency is all about calling another team's bluff, which the Mavs attempted to do with their offer sheet to Thybulle — that contract contained a 15-percent trade kicker and a player option in year three — and yet, Portland decided to match.
Reed showed flashes when given the opportunity last season, yet the 76ers just signed former lottery pick Mo Bamba to a one-year deal. That could cut into his playing time even more, and in turn, also cut into Philadelphia's likelihood to match an offer sheet.
One sign-and-trade scenario that Dallas and Philadelphia could explore would be swapping Reed for unrestricted free agent Christian Wood, who the Mavericks have no plans to retain. Philadelphia could sign Wood outright due to his unrestricted status, though, and the journeyman forward could prove to be an option for the 76ers as a rotation big behind Embiid.
Though Dallas landing Reed seems unlikely with the 76ers' rumored plans to match any offer sheet, it could be an avenue worth exploring to beef up their center position. The Mavs’ front office has proven that it isn’t shy about being aggressive this summer.
Follow Michael Mulford on Twitter. Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Mavericks? Click Here. Follow DallasBasketball.com on Twitter and Facebook.
