Mavericks-76ers NBA commerce grades after one other shocking Dallas take care of Quentin Grimes and Caleb Martin

The Dallas Mavericks made one other shocking commerce simply days after stunning the world by buying and selling Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis.

The Mavericks traded Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second spherical choose to the Philadelphia 76ers for Caleb Martin, in line with ESPN insider Shams Charania. The second-round choose within the commerce initially belonged to Philadelphia, and would presently be the No. 37 general choose on the time of this commerce.

The Mavericks and Lakers had been every anticipated to maintain making strikes forward of Thursday’s commerce deadline. We’ve already pitched three trades the Lakers ought to make earlier than the deadline. Mavs GM Nico Harrison mentioned he made the Doncic commerce partially as a result of “protection wins championships,” and this deal is an extension of that philosophy as soon as once more.

Let’s grade the Martin-for-Grimes swap for each the Sixers and Mavericks, and check out to determine each groups’ motivations for the deal.

Mavericks commerce grade for Quentin Grimes/Caleb Martin deal

This quote goes to stay in infamy if the Mavericks by no means win a championship with Anthony Davis. It’s additionally the logic that informs this newest transfer from Dallas:

Grimes has been a greater offensive participant than Martin this yr. Grimes is 5 years youthful. Martin nonetheless has a number of issues going for him right here: he’s larger, he’s a greater defender, and he’s already signed to a long-term contract whereas Grimes will want a brand new contract this summer time.

Signing Martin to a four-year, $35 million contract away from the Miami Warmth seemed like a masterstroke for the 76ers this summer time. Like nearly every part in Sixers land this yr, it turned out to be a giant disappointment.

Martin has had one of many worst years of his profession amid a nightmare season for Philadelphia. The 29-year-old wing was all the time meant to assist assist superstars by doing the soiled work and spacing the ground, and Philly’s whole workforce has crumbled as Joel Embiid has been restricted to solely 13 video games due to a knee harm. It was straightforward to think about Martin’s tough-nosed protection being a beautiful addition to the nucleus of Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey, however after Embiid’s accidents and George’s personal bodily downfall, perhaps Martin by no means had an opportunity.

Martin is capturing 37.9 % from three on the time of the commerce. He grades out as a optimistic defender in estimated plus/minus with a 72nd percentile rating. At 6’5 with a powerful body and a 6’10 wingspan, he can matchup on larger wing scorers because the Mavs rebuild their workforce round Davis and Kyrie Irving.

Martin simply isn’t an excellent offensive participant exterior of his low quantity capturing. His 53.1 true capturing is effectively under league-average, and he carries a low utilization charge of solely 14 %. He can’t actually do something off the dribble, and he’s not going to create a shot for any of his teammates. The Mavericks really want shot creation after their ludicrous Doncic commerce, and Grimes is the much better shot-creator.

This transfer reeks of cheapness by the Mavs. The Doncic deal quietly received the workforce out of the luxurious tax this yr, and it appears doubtless they don’t need to enhance payroll going ahead in the event that they had been keen deal Grimes and second spherical choose for Martin. I doubt Grimes will command that far more than Martin on the open market this summer time. He might get the mid-level exception, which goes to be about $14 million yearly. Martin is making slightly below $10 million.

Grimes is far more of a connective wing than an actual shot creator, however you’ll suppose the Mavericks grimwould need some offensive upside out of their non-Kyrie guards after the Doncic commerce. This commerce is method, method, method decrease stakes than the Lakers deal, however it’s nonetheless a head-scratcher for Dallas.

Grade: C

76ers commerce grade for Quentin Grimes acquisition

Grimes has regained his standing as a promising younger participant after a down yr final season that noticed him get traded from the New York Knicks to Detroit Pistons. Mavs GM Nico Harrison did effectively to pluck him away from Detroit by providing Tim Hardaway Jr.’s capturing in return. Final week, it was straightforward to determine Grimes could be a long-term piece for Dallas round Doncic. My how issues have modified in only a few days.

Philadelphia not solely received the higher and youthful participant within the deal, in addition they received a pleasant draft pick of it. There have been loads of success tales within the early second spherical in recent times, and the Sixers get one other shot at discovering a helpful participant within the draft by leveraging this pick of Dallas.

Grimes’ per-36 numbers are spectacular this season: 16.1 factors, six rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per sport. He’s capturing 39.8 % from three 4.3 makes an attempt per sport. or 9.1 makes an attempt per 100 possessions. He’s again to 60 % true capturing simply as he was throughout his promising second season with the Knicks. He’s a greater and better quantity shooter than Martin, a extra environment friendly general scorer, and affords extra dynamic offense off the dribble.

Grimes ranks within the forty ninth percentile of defensive EPM this yr, which isn’t too unhealthy. I believe he has a good greater ceiling as a defender than that, and he ought to slot in properly round Maxey or in bench items when he’s resting.

This commerce isn’t going to vary the Sixers’ depressing season, however it’s a really good piece of labor so as to add a high quality younger participant. Philly has had the season from hell, however Daryl Morey all the time finds a method to make commerce for his workforce.

Sixers grade: A