Mavs Trade Primer: Can Dallas Build Title Contender Around Luka Doncic & Kyrie Irving Before Deadline?

Having the 25th-ranked defense, the Mavs need to look into making some upgrades around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving before February’s trade deadline.

With 45 days remaining until the NBA's trade deadline on Feb. 8, the Dallas Mavericks hold a 17-12 record heading into their Christmas Day matchup with the Phoenix, good for sixth-place in the Western Conference standings. Dallas had lost three consecutive games before beating the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday and has gone 6-4 over its last 10.

Although it's safe to say the Mavs need another piece or two to become a title contender, it's hard to gauge how good the current roster truly is due to a slew of unfortunate injuries that have taken place. Most notably, star point guard Kyrie Irving has missed 12 games, and breakout rookie center Dereck Lively II, who is expected to return tonight, has missed six.

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We've discussed several different trade ideas the Mavs could think about doing, including a package deal with the Chicago Bulls netting them both Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond, a salary-dump deal with the Charlotte Hornets for Gordon Hayward, trades Portland Trail Blazers' Jerami Grant or Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green, a reunion with former Dallas forward and current Brooklyn Nets' Dorian Finney-Smith, any many others.

With all that being said though, what trade assets do the Mavs have to work with? ESPN's Bobby Marks broke down Dallas' "untouchables," as well as touchable players with positive value.

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In the piece, Marks unsurprisingly pegs Luka Doncic as the team's only "untouchable." Doncic is on an MVP-level tear, averaging 32.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists while shooting a career-high 38 percent from deep.

As far as players with positive trade value, Marks listed Sixth Man of the Year candidate Tim Hardaway Jr. and second-year guard Jaden Hardy. Although the Mavs do have other players with positive value, like Lively and Dante Exum, who has been a feel-good NBA redemption story this season, it's likely that both of those guys stay put for the foreseeable future.

If the Mavs want to look at potentially dumping salary, like Richaun Holmes or Maxi Kleber's contracts, there would likely have to be draft compensation involved if no other Dallas players are included alongside them.

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"The Mavericks owe New York a top-10 protected first in 2024 or 2025. They will send Brooklyn an unprotected first in 2029," Marks said of the Mavs' draft capital situation. "They are allowed to trade a first but only two years after the pick to New York is conveyed. The earliest is 2026, and it cannot have protection that extends past 2027. The Mavericks can swap firsts in 2026, 2027 or 2028. The Spurs have the right to swap firsts in 2030. Dallas has two second-round picks available to trade."

Given what the Mavs have to offer in a trade ... or rather, what they'd be willing to part with in a trade, it's hard to see them pulling off a deal for a premier player on the market like Toronto Raptors forwards O.G. Anunoby or Pascal Siakam. However, there are still reasonable moves that can be made to help improve a Mavs defense that was 25th last year and is 23rd so far this year. We won't have to wait too much longer to see what GM Nico Harrison can do.