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Wendell Carter Jr. is fouled by Kristaps Porzingis in a January 17 game against the Dallas Mavericks.
If the Chicago Bulls continue to trend higher after winning four of their last five and resuming the Eastern Conference playoff race, should fans expect a trade by this season’s deadline?
You are on Tuesday morning between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, but are still far from being seen as a contender or legitimate threat after the season. Would it make sense to trade in Kristaps Porzingis?
Jake Fischer from Bleacher Report reported late Monday evening that the Dallas Mavericks measured the trade value of the Latvian big with the team he was injured after two and a half seasons:
In fact, according to league sources, Dallas has been calmly assessing the trading market for Porzingis as the Mavericks have begun reassessing whether the 25-year-old center can really support Doncic as a second option for a competitor.
Ian Begley of SNY followed up on Tuesday morning with a report that the Mavericks had indeed contacted the Golden State Warriors to see if they would be interested in a trade.
Porzingis was only active for 74 out of 136 games Dallas played, since they traded for him at the end of January 2019. But as daunting as that number is, and that is only compounded when you consider his paycheck, there’s no denying what the 25-year-old can work the hardwood on if he’s healthy and available.
He would go well with the cops? He averages 20.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in the 17 games he had available this year. But it seems worth noting that the Mavericks are 8-9 in these games, as opposed to 6-6 in the 12 games he missed.
When one way or another the cops are the trigger for Pushing a deal with the Dallas Mavericks would likely spell the end of Wendell Carter Jr.’s time at the club. He was the seventh overall winner in the 2018 NBA draft and, despite some injury problems of his own, showed great promise as a rim protection and attacking big.
This season he has averaged 13.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2 in 19 games for Chicago , 2 assists.
If the Mavericks give up on Porzingis, who is only 25, mind you, they will undoubtedly want both a young talent and a replacement for a center in the short term, if not in the future. Carter meets both criteria and will be behind a $ 6.9 million team option on his rookie contract in the 2021-2022 season.
But if Carter stayed with the Bulls after a deal with Porzingis, it would be even then, hard to imagine that he wouldn’t see a significant drop in his minutes within the rotation. The 21-year-old would switch from starter to backup with the only optimism being that Porzingis won’t be able to stay available and on the ground.
The biggest factor in any deal Chicago closes next , the price will be. How much of what you have built over the years would you have to give up to take the chance of a return to relevance?
It probably wouldn’t just be one of Coby White, Patrick Williams, Lauri Markkanen or Wendell Carter Jr. need to make a deal but on top of that; The cops would volunteer to pay the remaining $ 95 million he owes over the next three years.
While a deal for Porzingis has an advantage, the disadvantage could be for a team so close to The end of the tunnel, like the Chicago Bulls, is earth-shattering.
One could also assume that the Mavericks would demand some form of compensation bill. Mark Cuban and his company have never been the type to low-sell their in-house talent. Remember, they got Porzingis for what was then considered a bargain: Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, and two first-round picks.
However, Porzingis would go well with Zach LaVine and could if he was healthy would make the Chicago Bulls the home of not one (well, TBD) but two all-star talent. Regardless of the team, that’s an asset in itself. The NBA has been moved into an era of player movement and empowerment. And nothing is more appealing to star relocation than a willing team with talented staff.
But is it worth the risk? If Chicago only had to negotiate one young talent / draft pick in addition to Otto Porter Jr.’s expiring salary, it would make this type of dice roll more attractive. However, it is unclear how much the Dallas Mavericks value their secondary star. That depends on the negotiations.
Ref: https://heavy.com
