After trading Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks lack an elite playmaker. Kyrie Irving isn’t bad at playmaking, but he’s more elite at shot creation than playmaking. With Dallas’s current roster makeup, they might be better off with someone who can score as well as they can make plays at an elite level.

This is especially true if this hypothetical player is younger and could give Dallas some hope following what may be the most controversial trade in NBA history.

Bleacher Report proposed a “spicy” three-way trade that would send the Mavericks an intriguing replacement for Doncic. The following trade would happen between the Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Mavericks receive: LaMelo Ball, Josh Okogie, DaQuan Jeffries, Lakers 2025 second-rounder, $6.6 million Daniel Gafford TPE, $2.6 million Irving TPE

Hornets receive: Irving, Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber, 2025 Mavericks first-rounder, 2029 Lakers first-rounder

Lakers receive: Daniel Gafford

Ball isn’t as good as Doncic is. Worse, he has shown that he can’t really stay on the floor, as he’s played more than 51 games only once in his NBA career. However, if there were one player in the league who can score and playmaker at a level not too far off from Doncic while being around the same age, it’s Ball.

It would cost Gafford, but at full strength, the Mavericks would have Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively play most of their frontcourt minutes, making Gafford expendable.

It’s not a perfect trade for Dallas, but given their uncertain future post-Doncic trade, it could at least get them back on track. Ball is not the player Doncic is, but he would be an excellent partner to Davis.

A trade like this makes sense, with the one caveat being the Mavericks’ two best players are among the most injury-prone stars in the NBA.

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