Proposed Trade Sends Sharpshooter From Thunder to Mavericks

Would this trade make sense for the Dallas Mavericks?

Feb 2, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) drives to the basket past Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks are just 11 games into the 2024-25 season, but some warts have already started to pop up with this roster. Sitting at 5-6, the Mavericks have a few needs they could address as the season progresses.

Bleacher Report's Dan Favale proposed one trade that every team should make "right now," although some players can't be traded until later in the season because of contract extensions. That's the case for the trade he suggested the Mavericks make.

READ MORE: Will Luka Doncic and PJ Washington Play in Mavericks vs. Jazz?

In his proposed trade, the Mavericks would receive Aaron Wiggins from the OKC Thunder in exchange for Maxi Kleber and a 2031 first-round pick with top-eight protection on it.

Favale said of the deal, "Surely two conference rivals vying for championship equity would not make a midseason trade, right? Perhaps. But the Thunder and Mavs danced in advance of last year's deadline. It could happen again. Oklahoma City's winnowing true-big ranks increase the likelihood. Kleber cannot play a ton of minutes, but even the partial-strength Thunder won't need him to shoulder a super-heavy workload. His defensive mobility on the perimeter, size, and three-point range are reasonable stand-ins for Chet Holmgren... Wiggins would be a monster get for a Mavericks team that could use someone who puts pressure on defenses both on and away from the ball without compromising the perimeter defense. He is even more attractive on a deal that runs through 2028-29 (team option) and never accounts for more than 7.5 percent of the salary cap. The Thunder's appetite for trading Wiggins to a direct rival looms large, especially when they don't need more picks. But an ultra-distant first-rounder is future-trade catnip and valuable enough for Oklahoma [City] to at least have a conversation."

Sam Presti has been stockpiling first-round picks for the last few years, and it may be hard for him to turn down one for a player who's only playing 21 MPG right now. Maxi Kleber could also help them with their injuries, as Chet Holmgren is out indefinitely and Isaiah Hartenstein has yet to play this season.

Meanwhile, Wiggins would help the Mavericks solve their three-point shooting issues, as they've only made 34.6% of their threes through the first 11 games of the season, 21st in the NBA. Wiggins has shot nearly 50% from three since the start of the 2023-24 season and is also a capable ball-handler.

It's hard to see the Thunder willing to make a trade with the team that knocked them out of the 2024 playoffs, though. Wiggins has started a few games this season, and they could see him as more valuable than Kleber and a first-round pick seven years in the future.

READ MORE: Mavericks at Jazz: How to Watch, TV, Time, Odds, & Preview

Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2024-25 Season

Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Austin Veazey on Twitter

More Dallas Mavericks News

• Steph Curry, Warriors Spoil Klay Thompson's Return, Beat Mavericks 120-117

• Warriors' Tribute Video For Mavericks' Klay Thompson

• Luka Doncic 'Trying to Figure Out' How to Play With Klay Thompson

• 'Our Bench Stinks'... Jason Kidd Furious With Mavs' Effort Against Suns