NBA Trade Rumors: 5 deals Dallas Mavericks need to make
By Tom West
4. Darrell Arthur
While the Mavericks are lacking in trade assets, another move that isn’t totally out the realm of possibility could be a deal with the Denver Nuggets.
The Nuggets have plenty of young talent in their frontcourt, such as Nikola Jokic, Jusuf Turkic and, of course, Kenneth Faried. However, one man who’s stuck firmly on the bench is Darrell Arthur, who just so happens to be an ideal player for the Mavericks.
To add another dynamic and some consistent floor spacing off the bench, Arthur could be the perfect kind of big for the Mavs to go after. He’s playing 20.7 minutes per game for the Nuggets so he isn’t irreplaceable or totally off-limits, and produces respectable averages of 12.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per 36 minutes.
These numbers don’t explain his value, though. The real element of Arthur’s game that can add to the Mavs’ second unit and even taken some minutes off Dirk is his shooting, as he’s an incredibly reliable option for a big man. Besides Arthur’s 36 percent mark from three and 0.7 makes per 36 minutes, he’s shooting a career-high 47 percent from 16-24 feet. As a simple catch-and-shoot threat at times or as another pick-and-pop option, Arthur can be a great fit in Dallas.
He’s a sound defender as well, holding opponents to just 47.5 percent shooting at the rim while forcing them to shoot 8.5 percent lower than normal within six feet (per NBA.com).
Who could Dallas use to try to pry Arthur away from the Nuggets? He’s not someone that’s hurting their cap or someone who doesn’t fit, so they aren’t actively shopping him. That being said, he isn’t a vital piece to them either and they’ll likely listen to offers, meaning the Mavericks can at least get on the phone and see what they can make happen.
This could be the best (and a more realistic) target they can pursue. Hopefully for them, the Nuggets will be willing to make something happen, too.
Next: 3. Adding a low-value shooter