NBA Trade Idea: Mavs Acquire ‘The Wrong’ P.J.?

ESPN had the Dallas Mavericks making a trade to address their need at power forward, but is worth the proposed price?

At 24-19 and sitting eighth in the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks are well-positioned for a playoff push after missing it entirely last season.

If the Mavericks are going to truly make a run, though, making a move at the trade deadline could increase their chances exponentially, especially if they improve the power forward position. General manager Nico Harrison has shown he isn't afraid to be aggressive when addressing needs, as he traded Kristaps Porzingis in 2022 and acquired Kyrie Iriving in 2023 at the trade deadline. 

But with what Dallas has traded in the past, its draft assets are limited, and making a big splash seems unlikely unless it's willing to part with one of its young players. In a recent article, ESPN analyst and former Brooklyn Nets executive Bobby Marks suggested Dallas trading Richaun Holmes and a 2026 second-round pick for Los Angeles Clippers power forward P.J. Tucker. 

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"It is hard to see Dallas getting in on Portland's Jerami Grant unless it is willing to give up [Olivier-Maxence] Prosper," Marks writes. Even if Prosper was included, the Mavericks would still need to trade Holmes, Williams and Kleber to make the money work. Let's go with a smaller deal and send Richaun Holmes and a 2026 second-round pick (via Miami) to the Clippers for P.J. Tucker."

If the year was 2021 or earlier, a deal for Tucker could make some sense. Unfortunately, that isn't the case, as the 38-year-old has only played in 15 games this season and hasn't touched the court since November. 

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For a team that has limited assets, trading away a pick of any kind for Tucker, who is at the tailend of his career, in hopes that he can turn back the clock would be befuddling. The Mavs only have one first-round pick (2026 or 2027) they can currently trade among a few other second-round picks.

If Dallas wants to push all of its chips to the middle of the table for this season and beyond, trading for a different P.J. —Charlotte Hornets power forward P.J. Washington — makes much more sense. Washington, 25, is averaging 12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game this season. He's also in his first season of a 3-year $46 million contract, meaning he'd be in Dallas for the long haul and would make using precious draft capital and possibly giving up a young player or reliable depth more worthwhile. 

The Hornets have seemingly taken the first step toward committing to a rebuild by trading Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat on Monday. If that's the case, Washington should be atop the Mavericks list of trade targets. And even if he’s not, it’s certainly a better idea than going after Tucker.