The Dallas Mavericks are bolstering their backcourt. In a complex six-team trade, the Mavericks are landing guard Marcus Sasser from the Detroit Pistons.
Dallas was rumored to land Sasser in a trade dating back to June 30, when Marc Stein reported the Mavericks were a “leading suitor.” That’s now official, with Dallas landing the 25 year old guard. In addition to Sasser, the Mavericks are also landing Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama in the deal.
Trade Configuration
The expansive trade involves a lot of moving parts. Keith Smith broke down all the assets on the move, which includes 11 players switching teams:
🏀To DAL: Santi Aldama (from MEM), Marcus Sasser (from DET), Tarik Biberovic (draft rights from MEM)
🏀To DET: John Collins (from LAC via S&T), Gary Harris (from MIL), Taurean Prince (from MIL)
🏀To LAC: No players incoming
Given what the Mavericks gave up for the entirety of their return, it’s a solid low-risk trade for a team trying to place quality pieces around Cooper Flagg. Sasser is set to make $5.2 million next season, before becoming a restricted free agent next summer. If Sasser has a breakout season, he could be in line for a sizable payday.
Marcus Sasser Could Have a Breakout Season With The Mavericks
Sasser joins the Mavericks after three years with the Pistons, who drafted him 25th overall in the 2023 draft. While Sasser had a strong rookie season, (8.3 points and 3.3 assists), his production has steadily declined in each of the last two seasons. His playing time decreased, and he missed the first month of this past season due to hip impingement. It limited him to just 38 games, further slowing his development.
Some of that decrease in playing time is in part due to Sasser’s smaller stature. Standing at just 6-1, there’s a tendency for Sasser to be a target defensively because of his smaller size. However, he excelled as a spot-up shooter for the Pistons, generating 1.24 points per possession, which ranks in the 90th percentile in the league (min. 50 possessions). That’s higher than guys like Devin Booker, Kon Knueppel and Payton Pritchard.
He’s a career 38.6% shooter from 3-point range, which will be a massive boost to a Mavericks team that ranked 26th in the league in 3-point percentage. While Sasser’s not a high-volume 3-point shooter, just 2.8 attempts per game this past season, that could change if he’s given the green light to shoot in Dallas.
How Kyrie Irving Could Help Sasser’s Development
What might be most beneficial for Sasser is he’ll be learning from a future Hall of Fame guard in Kyrie Irving. Sasser could learn a thing or two from Irving, who had to figure out how to dominate while being undersized. We saw Irving take guys like Jaden Hardy and Brandon Williams under his wing in Dallas this past season, and you could see the positive on-court results from that.
Sasser will be the next guard to study under Irving, while also benefiting from playing alongside Flagg. The reigning Rookie of the Year has cemented himself as an unselfish budding superstar, and Sasser will certainly get his fill of great looks on the perimeter from Flagg.
With the additions of Sasser and Aldama, it’s obvious that the Mavericks aren’t entirely resetting around Flagg. They’re adding, not subtracting, and on paper it’s a roster that could contend for a play-in spot next season.
Mavericks Add Young Guard From Detroit Pistons in 6-Team Trade