One of the most significant moves the Dallas Mavericks made during the Luka Doncic era was trading for Kristaps Porzingis in 2019.
At the time, Doncic was a rookie, and his impressive start to the season prompted the Mavs to seek a co-star for their future. They acquired Porzingis with the hope that he and Doncic would form a formidable duo and build something special together. However, things didn’t go as planned.
Porzingis and Doncic never fully clicked, and there were maturity issues on both sides. Despite this, the Mavericks had to give up a significant package to land Porzingis initially.
Kyshawn George selection fully closes Mavericks’ franchise-altering trade
As part of this deal, Dallas sent Wesley Matthews, Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, a 2021 first-round pick (which turned into Keon Johnson), and a 2023 top-10 protected first-round pick, for Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke, and Courtney Lee.
That pick in 2023 got pushed back to 2024 since Dallas had the No. 10 overall pick in which they selected Dereck Lively II, and now the trade was finally finalized after the 2024 NBA Draft.
In the 2024 NBA Draft, the Mavs would have had the No. 24 overall pick. That pick went to the Knicks, and they used it to select Kyshawn George. With the Knicks drafting George, the Mavs’ trade for Porzingis has been officially completed.
Dallas no longer has to worry about giving up first-round picks to the Knicks, and now, no players from that trade remain on the Mavericks, as they traded Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Detroit Pistons last week.
This trade is no longer a burden for the Mavericks. Although it was a disaster for the Mavs, it’s something they don’t need to worry about anymore.
Porzingis’ time in Dallas was marred by injuries and drama, and although he never met expectations as a Maverick, the team can now move on from this trade. Both sides have moved on, and the relationship between Doncic and Porzingis is fine despite what happened when they were teammates. They now have to face each other in the NBA Finals.
Porzingis and the Boston Celtics ultimately outperformed Doncic and the Mavs, allowing Mavs fans to finally put this trade behind them.