As the Dallas Mavericks fight to avoid being in a Play-In game this spring, a couple of reports claim the organization is targeting two top scorers from a pair of Eastern Conference teams headed to having a lottery pick later this year.
After a strong start to the 2023-24 NBA season, the Mavericks have settled into being a club just outside the elite of the Western Conference. While Luka Doncic is having another season that will get him consideration for MVP votes, Kyrie Irving’s career-long injury bug is unsurprisingly affecting the Mavs’ success this season.
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When the future Hall-of-Famer is on the court Dallas is a formidable team in the West. We he isn’t they are a group that is toward the back end of the top eight. That is part of why the organization is looking to bolster its roster before the deadline, especially in the frontcourt. They need more top-shelf scoring options when Irving misses games, and to improve their chances in the playoffs when they are at full power.
In recent weeks the franchise has been linked to various players but two new reports connect the team to a couple of young forwards who could be strong fits if the organization can land them before the Feb. 8 NBA trade deadline.
Dallas Mavericks linked to Kyle Kuzma and Miles Bridges trades
On Sunday, veteran NBA insider Marc Stein reported in a new Substack post that “The Mavericks, league sources say, are among the teams that have inquired with Washington about its willingness to part with forward Kyle Kuzma.”
Kuzma is the top scorer on the Wizards again this season, however, prying him away will be difficult. Stein claims the Wizards want at least two first-round picks and they allegedly will be seeking “higher quality picks” than the Toronto Raptors received from the Indiana Pacers in the Pascal Siakam trade.
Yet, Kuzma is not the only player they are targeting. Action Network NBA reporter Matt Moore claims the Dallas Mavericks are also one of the teams interested in a trade for Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges. The 25-year-old is averaging 20 points for the second straight season and will be looking to make a major impact to finish the season as he looks for a big contract in free agency this summer.
