Where do the Dallas Mavericks go from here? That’s been a question since the franchise fired Nico Harrison. Their on-court performances haven’t been consistent with their preseason expectations as title contenders. The poor record has sparked a ton of trade rumors around their core stars – Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson.

AD is the piece that carries the most trade upside, but only if the Mavs time it right. According to Grant Afseth, the Mavericks shouldn’t look to move off the prolific forward before the trade deadline. “That’s usually when desperation from other teams, and just like sense that like we’re in this Eastern Conference race or we need a big piece in the West. Like those thoughts really start to, you know, escalate around the trade deadline around the league,” Afseth explained.

Under the current circumstances, Anthony Davis has yet to make a return from injury and is also at the end of his prime. It would be close to impossible for the Mavericks to retrieve great value from this trade. And the value they need is a plethora of draft picks with the vision of building the team around Cooper Flagg.

“You want to find that balance of a team that has a reason to trade for Anthony Davis, has other teams draft assets and is willing to make the trade, you know, around the deadline,” Afseth added on The Mavs Pulse podcast. Waiting till the trade deadline gives AD a chance to showcase the tangibles he can offer to a team looking to compete in the postseason.

There’s no denying that when healthy, ‘The Brow’ can be an imperious difference maker. It’s also vital for the Mavs to have some patience with Davis. Patrick Dumont made the decision to delay his return, hoping that he would perform at an elite level without carrying any backdrop from his injury. If AD can operate at his usual standards, the Mavericks could really make the push once Kyrie Irving gets back.

But that’s the case for Klay Thompson. His position is much more volatile in comparison to Anthony Davis.

Klay Thompson is on the trade block for the Mavericks

Klay Thompson’s rough shooting start has played a role in the Mavericks’ disastrous offense. But Grant Afseth believes he would be on the trade block largely because of his age. “I think you’re pretty much in that box is or even at the age of 30, 29, things of that nature. Like you’re you’re in that situation where if there is a good trade out there, it is logical for the Dallas Mavericks to strongly consider trading you,” said Grant Afseth.

Klay Thompson is beginning to blossom from beyond the arc. He’s made 19 threes over his past five games on expected efficiency. However, if a trade offer would allow the Mavericks to get younger and get back in the draft since they lack picks, the franchise could gravitate in that direction.

Because Thompson, being a sniper, was expected to get his shooting difficulties fixed. But defensively, Grant Afseth has started to see some flaws when he and D’Angelo Russell are on the court. Notably, reports emerged about several Mavericks players being upset with Russell’s lack of effort on the defensive end. With Klay Thompson on the court, the Mavericks haven’t suffered severely, recording one of their best defensive rating. But there’s a visible decline. Thompson is allowing forwards to shoot 46% from three. Moreover, his offense primarily consists of being a distance threat.

If the Mavericks can get their hands on a younger player with the potential to grow within the squad, that will be the route they take. Given the injury complications that exist, the Mavericks need to remaster their core to have a genuine chance at a bright future. If an enticing trade offer does come, the Mavericks are open enough to take a bite. Do you think they should consider making roster changes? Let us know your views in the comments below.