Mavericks would be logical trade suitors for Cavs’ Tristan Thompson

A logical Cavs-Mavs deal

Now, I wouldn’t want the Cavs to just gift Thompson away, but considering it would seem to be unclear if TT can warrant a first-round pick return, I could see this being a reasonable trade.

The trade works on Tradenba.com, for reference.

The key for the Cavs here is that Courtney Lee is on an expiring $12.8 million contract, and though I wouldn’t expect much to be provided from the 34-year-old Lee, the 26-year-old Dorian Finney-Smith is a player that can guard 3’s and 4’s at a high level.

Considering the Cavaliers’ desperate need for natural wing depth outside of Cedi Osman and with Dylan Windler reportedly sidelined the rest of the season due to complications with his stress reaction in his left leg, along with Kevin Porter Jr. being reportedly sidelined seemingly through the All-Star break, acquiring Finney-Smith could really help Cleveland in coming years defensively.

Finney-Smith is a versatile defender that has great instincts both on and off the ball, and though having the playmaking of Luka Doncic has clearly helped, Finney-Smith is hitting three-pointers at a 37.6% clip, and has posted a career-best 9.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in 2019-20, as noted by Basketball Reference.

Though the Mavs, who have developed Finney-Smith well, wouldn’t exactly love trading him, Thompson could feasibly have a bigger impact, anyhow, as I’d argue Powell does.

Similarly to Powell, Thompson would carve out a bunch of space for Luka Doncic, along with Delon Wright and/or Jalen Brunson and TT is another constant lob threat.

I’m sure when you factor in Thompson’s postseason experience, and his seamless style of play on both ends, I would think Dallas would welcome him for Finney-Smith and Lee, who hasn’t played much in the last two years and has played just 80 minutes this season, per Basketball Reference.

Along with that, this trade would be following Alfonzo McKinnie, whom the Cavs will reportedly sign to a second 10-day contract on Thursday, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, having his second 10-day contract expire, which would be set to expire on February 1 after Cleveland plays the Warriors. The Cavaliers would have roster flexibility for this mentioned trade with Dallas.

Switching back to looking at the deal, additionally, though it wouldn’t be a first-round pick, which the Cavaliers are reportedly seeking in a potential Tristan Thompson trade, sources told Fedor, Dallas’ second-rounder via the Golden State Warriors, which is almost a first-rounder at 31st overall and they’d have, per Tankathon, given their pick swap, could give the Cavs a nice developmental prospect to develop, such as a big, in coming years.

Fedor believes that if the Cavaliers got an offer of a player return back of near salary-matching but of more developmental pieces, such as what they got in exchange for Jordan Clarkson from the Utah Jazz along with two second-round picks, that Cleveland would “balk,” and hold on to TT through the deadline.

To me, though, while I’d understand if Cleveland wanted to keep Thompson if a first-round pick doesn’t come, it’s unclear if Thompson would want to sign long-term with the Cavs this offseason, and losing TT for nothing, considering the Cavs aren’t going to be big free agent players in this rebuild I wouldn’t think, would be far from ideal.

I wouldn’t blame TT if he went elsewhere as a veteran and tried to play for a contender or wanted a change of scenery, either.

Plus, given that acquiring a first-rounder from Dallas would bring on issues involving the Stepien Rule of not being able to trade consecutive first-round picks, the Golden State second-rounder would not be nothing for Cleveland general manager Koby Altman and company. Dallas could feasibly remove their protections on their future first-rounders headed to the New York Knicks, but Dallas seemingly likely wouldn’t do so.

Now just as FanSided’s Cody Williams suggested, and there would seem to be rumors upcoming, as Amico seemed to reference, the Mavs would make for an intriguing trade landing spot for Kevin Love.