The Dallas Mavericks desperately need an elite wing defender on their roster that can be a consistent starter. As the trade deadline starts to rear its head, it may be time for a homecoming for Dallas.
Dorian Finney-Smith is the exact type of player that the Mavericks could use to hold down the starting forward spot on their roster. That position has been a revolving door with Derrick Jones Jr, Josh Green and Olivier-Maxence Prosper.
While some of them have played well at times, none of them possess the defensive prowess that Finney-Smith brings.
Down the stretch in the Mavericks playoff run two years ago, Finney-Smith gave Dallas everything he had. He consistently played roughly forty minutes a night, and defended the other team’s best player consistently and efficiently. He would match up with players such as Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker and Andrew Wiggins. He brings energy, passion and a winning desire that would fit perfectly with the two main stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. He is averaging almost one steal and one block per game this season as well which would help the Mavericks by adding another player who can rotate over and help in the paint.
Finney-Smith also brings another weapon to this Dallas roster. He hit several clutch shots in that playoff run for Dallas, however is shooting at a much more consistent clip this year. He is shooting 43% from behind the arc this year, which would provide yet another weapon for the Mavericks on the offensive end of the floor. Having a player who can catch and shoot on assists from Irving and Doncic at an efficient rate would make them that much stronger.
They would obviously have to part with someone to bring Finney-Smith back home. The trade would almost certainly have to include Tim Hardaway Jr. At this point, the Mavericks would be trading offense for defense, which would benefit both teams and the needs they have for their teams. This is definitely an option to keep an eye on as the Mavericks try to strengthen this team to make a run down the stretch. Bring him back to Dallas!