Over the summer, it was clear that the Dallas Mavericks wanted to strengthen the center position.
On draft day, Mark Cuban said Dallas needed a rim protector, and they drafted Derek Lively II. Lively II was everything Dallas needed in their current backup center, but the Mavs also had trade talks for the star center later that night, but he stalled.
After the Mavs acquired Richaun Holmes and Olivier-Maxence Prosper in a trade with the Sacramento Kings, they reportedly tried to trade Holmes, Tim Hardaway Jr. and JaVale McGee for Deandre Ayton.
The Suns didn't want to add McGee to the deal, so they released Ayton to the Portland Trail Blazers later that offseason. Ayton is averaging 15.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game for Portland this season, but the Mavs got their big break by not trading him.
Ayton recently attributed some of his early-season struggles to sleeping on an air mattress. Not having a bed for a night or two is understandable, but it's laughable to use this as an excuse for Ayton's early struggles.
In the way the world works today, Ayton could have ordered a bed online and had it delivered to his home or apartment within days. It's a terrible excuse, but it's not Ayton's first one this season.
Even though Ayton has been playing well lately, the Mavs caught a break by not trading him. They didn't have to deal with his drama and now have one of the best center duos in the NBA in Lively II and Daniel Gafford.
This team could have been a lot different had they traded for Ayton over the summer, and getting rid of his drama is a big plus.
The Dallas Mavericks' next game is tonight against the San Antonio Spurs.
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