On Monday night the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Phoenix Suns to improve to 18-12.
Luka Doncic had a historic game as he dropped 50 points and scored his 10,000th point in the NBA. It was a phenomenal game from start to finish, and their deep rivalry was fueled even more by plenty of smack talk and even an altercation involving Devin Booker and Grant Williams.
This was the first game that Dallas brought Williams off the bench, and it seems that he will continue to be brought off the bench moving forward.
Bulls center shows why the Dallas Mavericks should trade for him now
Although Christmas Day will be remembered for Luka’s dominance, Dereck Lively II also had a great first game back. He finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, immediately returning to being the rim runner that Dallas needed.
When Lively II was out with his ankle injury, Dallas’ defense struggled tremendously. Dwight Powell and Richaun Holmes couldn’t fill the void that was left by Lively II’s absence.
Even though Lively II is back now, the Mavs need a backup center badly.
They can’t rely on Lively II to be the only player who can protect the rim, and they need someone who can play that role when he is on the bench.
The Chicago Bulls happen to have a player who the Mavs have been interested in over the last six months who would thrive in that role.
Although a deal never happened, the Mavs were reportedly interested in signing Andre Drummond if he declined his player option and became a free agent. Drummond ended up opting into his contract, so Dallas never had the chance to pursue him.
Trade season will be here before we know it, and the Mavs should pursue Drummond.
On Tuesday night, Drummond showed exactly why the Mavs should trade for him. In Nikola Vucevic’s absence, Drummond had 24 points, 25 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. He flashed his ability to be elite in the pick and roll and put on a clinic on the glass.
He creates countless second-chance opportunities for his team, and his size and strength make him someone the other team must always account for. Drummond would be great off the bench for Dallas, as he helps solve both the rebounding and defense problems. He also likely wouldn’t be too difficult to trade for.
Will the Mavericks make a trade for another big man?
That question will be answered over the next few months, and we’ll have you covered.
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