The Dallas Mavericks are expected to enter the 2025 NBA playoffs, but they were beaten shortly by the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in. After trading superstar Luka Doncic and having an injured Kyrie Irving, the team has no backcourt answer anymore, but its frontcourt depth remains impressive.

With the team acquiring Duke sensation Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, roster equilibrium has become the hot topic of offseason rumors at a rapid pace. According to reports, Dallas is planning to get another young player in the frontcourt: Trey Murphy III.

Cooper Flagg Tops a Deep Mavericks Frontcourt

NBA Trade Rumors: Mavericks Could Get Trey Murphy III to NBA Trade Rumors: Mavericks Could Get Trey Murphy III to
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Signing Cooper Flagg is a huge win for Dallas. The 6-foot-9 Duke forward is a generational two-way player who should make an instant impact on both sides of the floor. Right now, the Mavericks already have a frontcourt full of depth with Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, and young talent Dereck Lively II, according to Sports Illustrated.

Other depth contributions like Caleb Martin, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and veteran Dwight Powell all emphasize the requirement for roster rebalancing, especially in the backcourt, where Dallas is short on dependable depth behind Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dante Exum, and Max Christie.

Suggested Trade: Gafford, Washington, and Picks for Trey Murphy III

With the abundance, NBA insider Bobby Karilla of DLLS Mavs proposed a huge trade deal: the Mavericks traded P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, and two future first-round draft picks for developing wing Trey Murphy III to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Murphy is a prototypical contemporary NBA 3&D wing at 6'8". He not only offers elite perimeter shooting and shutdown defense but also demonstrated enhanced shot-making and playmaking in the 2024–2025 season.

The Pelicans, though reportedly willing to trade any player on their roster, have put a steep price tag on Murphy—deservedly, considering his ceiling and positional worth.

Is Dallas Overpaying in Potential Deal?

While the addition of Murphy would address a hole on the wing, most analysts feel the trade would be an overpay. Both Gafford and Washington are good contributors, and Dallas would be trading its most tradable pieces.

To boot, two future first-round draft choices, in a league where draft money is kings' ransom, would severely cripple Dallas in trading moves down the road.

It would be a poor use of assets, particularly in light of the Mavericks' greater need for backcourt help and floor space, to trade quality frontcourt depth for one wing without patching other holes. It's especially risky if Murphy does not develop into an All-Star-type player.

With Cooper Flagg joining the squad and the Pelicans open to trading, Dallas has some leverage. But the front office needs to weigh talent accumulation against long-term vision. Instead of committing to one player like Murphy, maybe it would be wiser to bundle frontcourt pieces in a series of smaller trades to cover guard play and wing bolstering.