Could the Dallas Mavs pursue Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton trade?
The Utah Jazz should be one of the top sellers watching NBA teams ahead of the Feb. 9 close. One team that could benefit from an upgrade is the Dallas Mavericks. Can both teams benefit from a joint deal? If so, one name to consider is Collin Sexton.
Sexton was handed a four-year, $71 million deal during the offseason that kept him signed through the 2025–26 season. The Cleveland Cavaliers gave him part of the Donovan Mitchell trade in jazz.
Sexton averages 14.4 points and 2.8 assists in 24.0 minutes per game. He’s averaging by far a career low in seasons. However, his performance per 36 minutes puts him at 21.6 points and 4.2 assists. He shoots a career-best clip of 50.0 percent from the floor and 41.5 percent from 3-point range.
For a team that needs another scoring threat in the back, Sexton could be a tempting trade option to consider. Finding a solution that fits into this mid-season mold isn’t easy, but the Jazz, which has no prospects of competition, could open up a possible avenue.
In a recent hypothetical trade report, NBA Analysis Network came up with an idea where the Jazz would send Sexton to the Mavs in exchange for Davis Bertans and a 2025 first-round pick. Financially, Utah would be paid a salary of $500,000 this season.
In practice, it would cost the Mavs to back away from Bertans’ contract. The potential return would not be robust. In this scenario, they are betting that issuing a future first-round pick to convert Bertans’ spend into Sexton will result in greater future trade value.
There wasn’t much interest in Sexton during the off-season. It’s not easy to imagine there will be a hot trading market as of the deadline, but it’s a name that deserves some interest. He was one of the league’s most efficient isolation scorers with the ability to score through pick-and-roll and handoffs. Though his efficiency in these areas wasn’t at his previous level, he poses another threat, capable of open catch-and-shoot jumps and attacking closeouts.
Defensively, Sexton is a competitive player but he is far from making a difference on this end. Jalen Brunson could have been described in a similar way during his time with the Mavs. Regardless, the constant balancing act the Mavs must face before making a trade deadline move is, “Does deferring a future first-round pick for this player solve our needs?” Is the move from Bertans to Sexton worth such a move?
Postponing a first-round pick in 2025 would limit the Mavs’ potential to pull together a big deal to land a possible co-star to pair with Doncic. Perhaps there are alternative frameworks where the Jazz need not be compensated for taking over the contract from Bertans.
If the multi-year plan calls for Jaden Hardy to grow into that third Guardian role, it should inspire reluctance to part with a future asset to acquire a Guardian in the meantime. There is one more level that the Mavs need to consider. Spencer Dinwiddie, 29, will only be signed for the 2023/24 season. Dallas may benefit from adding an additional backcourt option in the event of a possible future outcome regarding Dinwiddie’s future.
None of the possible shifts associated with the Mavs matter if the Jazz weren’t interested in taking the contract from Bertans. It’s really terrible value, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that they might choose to hold on to Sexton rather than swap him out in a deal of this nature.
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