How Warriors Signing Paul George to Max Contract Could Affect Mavs' Trade Plans
With NBA free agency set to begin on Sunday, June 30, the Dallas Mavericks are still looking for ways to make roster upgrades at the right price. When you have a roster that made it to the NBA Finals while being led by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, major upgrades aren't a must, but the team still needs to improve in order to have a chance to beat a team like the Boston Celtics going forward.
As Mavs GM Nico Harrison waits for opportunities to arise, one situation worth monitoring is Paul George's free agency. The Los Angeles Clippers star can either opt into the final year of his contract worth nearly $50 million, or he can opt out of it and hit the open market. And even if he chooses to opt in, he could still request a trade.
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According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, George, who is 34 years old, is seeking a full four-year max contract, and the Golden State Warriors might be willing to give it to him.
“He wants a full-out max, and there are a number of teams out there, I am told, that are prepared to give it to him, who are prepared to trade for him," Windhorst said. "One of those teams, potentially, is up the coast in Golden State.”
If George does join the Warriors, it will likely mean that Golden State will have to offload veteran forward Andrew Wiggins, who has three years remaining on his current contract worth nearly $90 million. Given that the Mavs have been linked to Wiggins several times over the last year, it's not hard to envision him ending up in Dallas if all the dominoes fall the right way.
Wiggins has underperformed since his stellar 2022 championship run with the Warriors, but the 29-year-old still has some gas left in the tank, as he averaged 13.2 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 45.3 percent from the floor and 35.8 percent from deep in 71 games last season. A change of scenery could be just what Wiggins needs to rekindle his competitive fire, and the Mavs are one of the best options to provide him with that change of scenery.
Read more on Wiggins' potential fit with the Mavs with our DallasBasketball.com scouting report.