Dallas Mavericks Receive: F Talen Horton-Tucker, G Kendrick Nunn, 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Jalen Brunson
We hear you, Dallas Mavericks fans. You don’t like this return, and we understand.
Unfortunately, you’re unlikely to jump for joy at any return you get in a sign-and-trade for Jalen Brunson. As an unrestricted free agent, he’s a distressed asset. He doesn’t have to agree to a sign-and-trade.
Therefore, any value the Mavs recoup for him is better than the alternative. After all, the alternative is nothing. This deal is more than that.
Granted, Horton-Tucker’s 26.9% three-point accuracy from 2021-22 isn’t inspiring. It doesn’t scream “complements Luka Doncic.” Still, the 21-year-old holds potential.
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If the Mavericks could rehab Horton-Tucker’s league-wide image, they could potentially move him for a more complementary player at the deadline. They’re also getting Kendrick Nunn. He’s fine. If he had a career year, he’d match 80% of Brunson’s production.
Finally, a first-round pick is a quality asset to receive for a player they’re losing anyway. To make any deal work, the Lakers likely will have already needed to move on from Russell Westbrook while clearing cap space to avoid the hard cap.
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On the other hand, if the Dallas Mavericks insist on receiving more immediate value for Brunson, bringing in a third team might help facilitate a deal.
