The Dallas Mavericks already have Cooper Flagg as the face of their next era. One new trade pitch would give him a high-flying young scorer to grow with.
Sports Illustrated’s Austin Veazey proposed a deal that would send Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe to Dallas in exchange for Mavericks forward P.J. Washington. The pitch is built around two roster squeezes: Dallas’ crowded frontcourt and Portland’s crowded backcourt.
In the proposed deal, the Mavericks receive Sharpe, while the Trail Blazers receive Washington.
That would be a bold bet on athletic upside for Dallas. Washington was a key part of the Mavericks’ 2024 NBA Finals run, but the roster has changed dramatically since then. Flagg is now the franchise centerpiece, and Dallas’ recent move for Santi Aldama only adds another frontcourt player who overlaps with some of Washington’s minutes and responsibilities.
Veazey noted that the Mavericks’ frontcourt now includes Aldama, Flagg, Naji Marshall, Washington, Morez Johnson Jr., Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, among others. He also pointed to Portland’s guard-heavy roster after its Ja Morant trade, with Morant, Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson and Sharpe all in the mix.
That is why the idea is more than a random player swap. It is a roster-balance trade.
Shaedon Sharpe Would Give Mavericks Another Athlete Next to Cooper Flagg
Sharpe would not arrive in Dallas as a finished product. That is part of the risk.
But he would give the Mavericks something they could use around Flagg: a 23-year-old guard with elite athletic tools, downhill scoring ability and transition juice. Veazey wrote that Sharpe averaged 20.8 points last season and is entering the first year of a four-year, $90 million contract.
For Dallas, the appeal is obvious. Flagg gives the Mavericks a versatile forward who can pressure defenses, defend multiple positions and operate as a long-term foundation piece. Sharpe would add a different kind of stress on opponents.
He can run the floor. He can attack closeouts. He can finish above the rim in ways few guards can. On a Mavericks team that has leaned heavily on size and frontcourt depth, Sharpe would give Dallas more pop in the backcourt.
That matters even more because the Mavericks are not just trying to build a competent team around Flagg. They are trying to build the right kind of team around him.
Flagg needs shooting, spacing and secondary creation. Sharpe is not a perfect answer to all of that, but he would bring burst and scoring upside that Dallas does not have enough of on the perimeter.
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 30: Shaedon Sharpe #17 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts during the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 30, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
P.J. Washington’s Role Is Less Certain After Mavericks’ Frontcourt Moves
Washington is the difficult part of the equation.
He is not a throw-in. He is a proven playoff forward who can defend, hit open threes, play through contact and handle physical matchups. Teams that are trying to win usually want players like Washington.
But Dallas has to weigh that against roster fit and contract structure.
Veazey noted that Washington is entering the first season of a four-year, $88 million contract. Sharpe is on a similar long-term salary track, which makes the proposed deal more of a basketball decision than a pure financial escape.
The question is whether Washington is more valuable to this version of the Mavericks than a younger, more explosive guard.
After adding Aldama, the Mavericks have multiple forwards and bigs competing for minutes. Flagg is going to play. Lively and Gafford give Dallas center depth. Aldama brings size and floor-spacing potential. Marshall can defend wings. Washington still helps, but his role is no longer as obvious as it was during the Mavericks’ Finals run.
Trading him would be painful. It would also make some sense if Dallas believes Sharpe can be part of its long-term core.
Mavericks Would Be Betting on Upside Over Certainty
This is not a risk-free idea for Dallas.
Washington is the safer player. Sharpe is the upside swing.
That distinction matters for a Mavericks team still trying to decide how fast it wants to build around Flagg. Keeping Washington would preserve more proven two-way stability. Trading for Sharpe would give Dallas a more dynamic offensive piece who better matches Flagg’s age timeline.
Portland would have its own reason to listen. The Trail Blazers have a crowded guard rotation, and Washington would give them a multi-positional forward who can defend and space the floor around Morant and Lillard. Veazey wrote that Washington may be the more valuable player right now, even if Sharpe is younger.
That is what makes the proposal interesting. It is not a simple case of Dallas dumping a contract or Portland giving away a young scorer. It is two teams potentially solving different problems.
For the Mavericks, the question is whether they are ready to move a dependable playoff forward for a player who could raise their ceiling but also bring more volatility.
Sharpe would not make Dallas complete. But pairing his athletic scoring with Flagg would give the Mavericks a younger, faster and more explosive foundation.
That is the kind of gamble that could appeal to a franchise trying to turn the page while still giving its new star a real runway.
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