Over the summer, it was clear that the Dallas Mavericks wanted to move to the center position.
On draft day, Mark Cuban said Dallas needs a rim protectorand they came out and drafted Derek Lively II. Lively II was everything Dallas needed from its now backup center, but the Mavs were also in trade talks for a star center later that night that fell through.
After the Mavs completed a trade with the Sacramento Kings that gave them Richaun Holmes and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, they reportedly tried to trade Holmes, Tim Hardaway Jr. and JaVale McGee for Deandre Ayton.
The Suns didn’t want McGee in that deal, and later in the offseason dealt Ayton to the Portland Trail Blazers. This season for Portland, Ayton is averaging 15.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks per game, which are excellent numbers, but the Mavs have taken a huge break from not trading for him.
Recently, Ayton attributed to some of his early season has difficulty sleeping on air mattress. Not having a bed for a night or two is understandable, but Ayton making it an excuse for why he struggled in the first place is laughable.
The way the world works today, Ayton could have ordered a bed online and delivered it to his home or apartment within a few days. That’s a terrible excuse, and it hasn’t been Ayton’s first excuse this season.
Even though Ayton has played very well recently, the Mavs caught a breather by not trading for him. They don’t have to deal with his drama, and they now have one of the best center duos in the NBA in Lively II and Daniel Gafford.
This team could have been a lot different if they had made that trade for Ayton over the summer, and being free of its drama is a big positive.
The Dallas Mavericks’ next game is tonight against the San Antonio Spurs.
For all the latest news on the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.
