Proposed Trade Lands Mavericks $130 Million Star Center for Tim Hardaway Jr.

Getty Clint Capela guards Tim Hardaway Jr.

A new trade proposal has the Dallas Mavericks trading Tim Hardaway Jr., Christian Wood and a 2026 lottery-protected first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Clint Capela and Garrison Mathews.

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report proposed the trade in a column called “Bold Offseason Trade Ideas for NBA Contenders.” It would be a sign-and-trade deal since Wood is an unrestricted free agent.

“For the Hawks, this deal would open up a path to starting Onyeka Okongwu,” Bailey wrote. “It would also give them a floor-spacing backup 5 in Wood whose shooting could widen driving lanes for Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Having another catch-and-shoot option to flank those drives in Tim Hardaway Jr. would be helpful, too.

“Meanwhile, Capela would give the Mavericks the bona fide starting 5 and rim-runner whom they’ve been after. He has plenty of experience playing with a high-volume pick-and-roll creator like Luka Dončić and is a far more formidable defensive anchor than what they had last season.

“Garrison Mathews doesn’t offer the same shooting upside as Hardaway, but he’s hit 36.7 percent of his triples in his career. Having a wing and big on both sides of this trade doesn’t throw off the balance of either roster like a Capela-for-Hardaway swap might.”

Mavericks Have Been Linked to Clint Capela

The Mavericks want to acquire Capela from the Hawks, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

The Hawks are trying to acquire Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. Stein reports that the Mavericks could trade for Capela as a third team in a possible Siakam deal.

“You can safely presume that the Dallas Mavericks are rooting for Atlanta to win the trade race for Toronto’s Siakam,” Stein wrote. “And that they’re also hoping such a trade features Hawks center Clint Capela as opposed to a strictly De’Andre Hunter-centric deal. Capela has two seasons left on his current contract valued at nearly $43 million.

“The Raptors would appear to have little need for a pricey center after re-signing Jakob Poeltl this month to a four-year deal worth $78 million, so a theoretical trade of Siakam to the Hawks that features Capela would open the door for Dallas to join the trade as a third team or pursue a separate deal with Toronto for Capela.”

Capela averaged 12.0 points and 11.0 rebounds last season while shooting 65.3% from the field. The center signed a two-year, $45.5 million extension with Atlanta in September 2021.

Capela, who began his career with the Houston Rockets, will make $20.6 million next season. He has career averages of 12.4 points and 10.7 rebounds with the Rockets and Hawks. The big man will have earned over $130 million in his career once his current contract is over.

Mavericks ‘Expected’ to Trade Tim Hardaway Jr.

The Mavericks are expected to trade Hardaway Jr. this summer, according to Stein. The team is also expected to either trade or release JaVale McGee and not re-sign Theo Pinson.

“The Mavericks, I’m told, have indeed likely moved on from Theo Pinson,” Stein wrote. “The free agent swingman, as things stand entering summer league, is not expected back in Dallas as part of the many changes anticipated to the Luka Dončić/Irving supporting cast. Trading Tim Hardaway Jr. and either trading or releasing JaVale McGee remain expected moves beyond all of the action in North Texas so far.”

Hardaway Jr. signed a four-year, $75 million contract with the Mavericks in August 2021. The shooting guard averaged 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists last season while shooting 40.1% from the floor, 38.5% from beyond the arc and 77.0% from the free-throw line.