Mavericks Trying to Trade for $130 Million Star Center: Report

Getty Al Horford and Clint Capela

The Dallas Mavericks would like to acquire Clint Capela from the Atlanta 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 potential 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 for the Hawks while shooting 65.3% from the floor. The 29-year-old signed a two-year, $45.5 million contract extension with Atlanta in September 2021.

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

Proposed Blockbuster Trade Lands Mavericks $224 Million 3-Time All-Star

Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report proposed that the Mavericks trade Christian Wood, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jaden Hardy and a 2027 unprotected first-round pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns.

This would be a sign-and-trade deal since Wood is an unrestricted free agent.

“Dallas should check on the price of Towns in an attempt to form the best offensive Big Three in basketball along with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving,” Swartz wrote. “Adding Towns as an elite floor-spacer who can also put the ball on the floor would take the Mavs’ scoring attack to the next level and help keep Dončić happy (and rested), which is the ultimate goal for this franchise. Dallas also keeps Josh Green and Maxi Kleber in the deal, making sure the team at least plays a little bit of defense, too.”

Towns signed a four-year, $224.2 million extension with the Timberwolves in July 2022. The extension kicks in during the 2024-25 season. The three-time All-Star will make $36 million next season. He averaged 20.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 2022-23 while shooting 49.5% from the field, 36.6% from 3 and 87.4% from the free-throw line.

If the Mavericks acquired Towns, they would have a deadly Big 3 of Towns, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, three stars who can score over 25 points every night.

Report: Mavericks Expected to Trade Tim Hardaway Jr.

The Mavericks are expected to trade Hardaway Jr. this summer, according to Stein, so the franchise may as well send him to the Timberwolves or Hawks.

Hardaway Jr. signed a four-year, $75 million contract with the Mavericks in August 2021. The 31-year-old averaged 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists last season.

“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.”