Slam dunks are fun but have you ever spent an hour reloading your Twitter feed following a developing NBA trade rumor?

In a season where the Mavericks essentially played themselves out of any playoff aspirations within the first two weeks, the trade winds have been gusting non-stop.

Now that the calendar officially reads (at least) December 15th, a large percentage of players that signed contracts this summer are now eligible to be included in trades.  

Dallas has an interestingly constructed roster with plenty of reliance on youth, but still several veterans that are major contributors and might be better served using their skills and experience on a team with a chance of making noise (besides leaning a recliner back in their living room) come May or June.  

Nerlens Noel

Knocking out the obvious first.  The 23-year-old doesn’t exactly fit the “veteran” or especially the “major contributor” mold that was laid out previously, but his time in Dallas is thought to be nearing its end as soon as possible.  

With his no-trade clause, Noel could bully his way to a situation he thinks is best for him.  Additionally, who knows if Dallas could get anything more than something like a protected second round pick or a hot dog for the big man who is currently on the shelf for the foreseeable future?  An exit for Noel via trade is no certainty.

Salah Mejri

The 31-year-old big man is a free agent at the end of the season who simply doesn’t fit the Mavericks “timeline” and is taking, or “earning”, minutes away from younger big men on the roster like Noel, Johnathan Motley and Dwight Powell.

Again, what would Dallas even be able to get for him?  Who knows, but every Mavs fan has grown to love Salah and would definitely be happy for him if they were to see his irrational confidence on display for a contender deep into the playoffs.  What if Salah got to wag his finger at LeBron James after swatting his shot into the second row during the NBA Finals?

Devin Harris

This has to happen.  The veteran point guard is having way too good of a season to still be in Dallas after the February 8th trade deadline.  Also a free agent after the season, Harris is another vet who would be a great add for a contender looking for solid backup minutes in their backcourt.

Despite his lengthy history and multiple tenures as a Maverick, Harris is another member of the team fans would love to see playing deep into the playoffs… even if it’s for someone else.

The Devin Harris/J.J. Barea backdoor cut-connection would be missed..

An important note for Mavs fans to remember this trade season is that the team is entering it with about $12 million in cap space.  So there will be a bit more freedom to maybe bring in a player on what some might consider a “bad” contract from a contender in order to make a move work. It may not turn out that way, but so many other teams have overspent the last few summers but the Mavericks are one of few teams with any cap space at the moment.

Stay glued to Dallas Sports Fanatic for all the best Dallas Mavericks fan coverage during this 2017-2018 season.