Sameer Kumar

The Dallas Mavericks are in the middle of their quest for a second championship.

Sometimes, championship-contending teams need to think big to achieve their ultimate goal. The Mavs have the potential to shake the entire NBA landscape if they bring in a $194.2 million Phoenix Suns superstar.

The following three-team blockbuster could take place between the Mavericks, Suns, and Los Angeles Lakers:

Mavericks receive: Kevin Durant

Suns receive: P.J. Washington, Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent, Dereck Lively II, Christian Wood, Cam Reddish, Mavs 2025 first-round pick, right to swap Mavs’ 2031 pick, Lakers 2025 and 2027 second-round picks

Lakers receive: Klay Thompson

Phoenix may not be getting the value Durant could attract on the open market, but he’s a year away from free agency and the Suns are rapidly fading down the standings, so they may need to pull the trigger on this deal rather than risk losing him for nothing.

Lively is a promising young prospect and the Mavs’ 2031 first-round pick could be low if Luka Doncic is playing for a different team by then. The Lakers were linked to Thompson in free agency, so they might be willing to give up two second-round picks to acquire him.

Adding Durant obviously benefits the Mavs in several ways.

Durant and Kyrie Irving have proven they can be a deadly duo together and thrive with James Harden running the show as the primary playmaker. Doncic could take on a similar role as Harden while Durant and Irving take care of the scoring.

Irving and Durant also reportedly haven’t closed the door on a reunion despite a messy exit from the Brooklyn Nets. Losing Lively could sting, but Daniel Gafford is there to man down the center position and Durant’s length could help protect the rim.

With Dallas’ championship window wide open right now, they have to consider sacrificing part of the future to win now. Adding Durant and his otherwordly scoring makes it much more likely that the Mavs finish the job this June.