1 overreaction trade Mavericks need to target amid slow start

Some looked Dallas Mavericks headed into the 2025-26 campaign believing they could be a dark horse playoff team. They have such a stacked front field, and Cooper Flagg looked like a game-changing talent from day one if his play during the preseason was any indication.

But that stacked frontcourt is significantly depleted, with Anthony Davis and Derek Lively II are currently on the mendand with the team’s thin guard depth, the Mavericks have struggled — starting the season with a 2-6 record heading into Friday night’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Their point guard game, in particular, it was a big mess. Flagg got the Jeremy Sochan treatment by being miscast as the point guard/primary ball handler, while PJ Washington, in a game where he captained the offense, turned the ball over eight times. The Mavericks brought in D’Angelo Russell to function as the point guard amid Kyrie Irving’s recovery, but he struggled to earn the trust of head coach Jason Kidd — that is, until Kidd replaced Klay Thompson in the starting lineup with Russell.

Suffice to say, the Mavs’ point guard situation is in dire straits. meanwhile, Luka Doncic dominates the Los Angeles Lakers. The Doncic trade is a disaster that is piling up for the Mavs, but that’s all in the past and nothing can be corrected from that situation.

All the Mavericks can do is address their point guard situation, and here’s a trade they could make to try and get their season back on track.

Dennis Schroder comes via trade to help the Mavericks

Mavericks trade: Najib Marshall, Caleb Martin, two second-round picks

Kings trade: Dennis Schroder

It might be a smarter trade for the Mavericks to make with The Kings would be for Keon Ellis. Ellis has been phenomenal when given minutes, as he can lock down opposing players with the ball, follow them through screens, all while making threes and not ordering too many touches on the offensive end. For a team with a lot of ball handlers, Ellis is a perfect fit. Alas, he’s stuck on the bench as the Kings try to untangle their wacky starting lineup.

But what the Mavericks need from a point guard is someone who can handle the ball and get to the rim while setting up their finishes. They don’t have a point guard who can go downhill and pressure the rim. It’s not Russell or Jaden Hardy’s game.

Schroder can do exactly that, which is why he is The Kings brought him in via free agency in the first place. The Kings have been missing De’Aaron Fox badly, as Malik Monk is not a natural point guard, and Schroder could do at least parts of what Fox once did for the team.

But then the Kings have such a logjam in the backcourt. They brought in Russell Westbrook, who is holding the reins in Sacramento, and still have DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis who need the ball in their hands moving forward. Zach LaVine also requires a lot of touches. Same for Monk.

Oddly enough, Schroder was the odd man out, but he’s also the most ideal fit for the Mavericks as they are currently constructed. He can take advantage of the lob threat that the Mavericks’ big men present, he relieves Flagg of playmaker duties, freeing him to be a multi-position wing breaker, and overall he would restore a sense of balance to the Mavs’ roster.

dallas doesn’t have much to offer Sacramento. One would think the Kings would want PJ Washington in any Schroeder trade scenario. But Washington is a piece the Mavs would rather keep, as he’s a combo forward who doubles as their best defensive option against the best perimeter shooters in the NBA. Getting a point guard like Schroder while Washington is losing isn’t going to do much, if anything, for the Mavs.

So, the Mavericks would instead trade Najib Marshall and Caleb Martin to get Schroeder along with two second-round picks. The Kings need more size and versatility on the wings, and both Marshall and Martin can provide just that. They’re also less-used wing players while also addressing the Kings’ need for traditional-sized wing players.

Martin has been insignificant for the Mavericks this season, while Marshall has been less reliable this year than last. But the Kings use a position of strength to at least solve some roster issues, making it a potentially beneficial trade for both teams.