NBA market: The Dallas Mavericks continue to make moves before the Trade Deadline

The Philadelphia 76ers are going to trade forward Caleb Martin to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Quentin Grimes and the Mavericks' 2025 second-round pick, which they controlled from a prior trade. The deal marks the Texan franchise's second significant move during this deadline cycle, with the first, of course, being this weekend's trade of Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis plus other assets from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Both Martin and Grimes were relatively new additions to their teams. Martin signed a four-year, $35 million deal with the 76ers last summer after turning down a five-year, $65 million pact from his former team, the Miami Heat, only to realize there were no better offers for him in free agency. The Mavericks, on the other hand, acquired Grimes in a trade with the Detroit Pistons, who had previously obtained him from the New York Knicks last year.

Now, the Mavericks and the 76ers have swapped their wings. What motivated the deal, and how did it play out for both sides? Below are our ratings for the trade.

Dallas Mavericks

Short term, this is truly a lateral move for Dallas. Martin is a bit bigger and more defensively versatile, especially after playing on a Heat team that demands that from its perimeter players. Grimes is having his best shooting season, and his overall track record as a shooter in terms of percentage and volume is higher. Martin brings much more playoff experience due to his time with the Heat, and he is slightly better with the ball in his hands. Grimes is five years younger and likely has more room to grow, plus he's a bit quicker, making him an easier defensive matchup against guards. There's not a substantial immediate value difference between the two. Choosing between them is a matter of preferences and circumstances.

But there are two significant financial reasons why the Mavericks could have made this trade. The first is cost control. Grimes will enter restricted free agency this offseason and should draw plenty of interest from teams in need of a wing. Martin, on the other hand, is under contract for three more seasons at a lower-than-market price. Dallas is capitalizing on the fact that Martin missed out on the contract he was seeking in free agency last summer to get a good player at a reasonable price for the rest of his career. It's a good deal.

Secondly, Martin's higher salary for this season could have value for Dallas in the trade market. Remember, the Mavericks are presumably still seeking another ball handler to help fill the void left by Luka Doncic. While Martin comes with controlled costs for the future, he is at a higher cap figure than Grimes at the moment. Grimes, still on his rookie deal, is making only around $4.3 million this season. But Martin's cap figure pre-trade was $8.1 million and could be adjusted up to around $9.2 million if he accepts his trade bonus.

The Mavericks can't aggregate Martin's salary in the next 60 days, meaning they can't combine his money with someone else's to get a much more expensive player. But they can swap Martin for a player in a similar price range. Now, that might be a bit of a tight squeeze. The Mavericks will have only about $200,000 in room below their hard cap for the season if Martin accepts his trade bonus, and this deal pushes them back over the luxury tax line after the Doncic trade had brought them below it. They may need to shed another smaller salary for this deal to work. But Martin's long-term deal will appeal to cost-conscious teams, and that opens doors for subsequent moves, whether this week or further down the line. Overall, the financial aspect of this deal makes enough sense for Dallas that the Mavericks come out with a decent grade, even if the move isn't a significant basketball upgrade.

Philadelphia 76ers

This was partly a financially motivated deal for the Mavericks, but it was also a financially motivated move for the 76ers. This trade gets Philadelphia back under the luxury tax apron. They are now about to avoid the luxury tax with another move, so shedding that extra salary this season holds some value for them.

But rejuvenation also holds significance. This is a team paying max salaries to two injury-prone 30-year-old stars, Paul George and Joel Embiid. Three other 30-year-olds, Kelly Oubre Jr, Andre Drummond, and Eric Gordon, have player options for next season. There is likely some age-related decline, so adding young Grimes and giving room for improvement, even if it ends up being a bit costlier, also accounts for something here.

So, does it mean much for them on the court right now? Probably not. Grimes might be better than Martin. He might be worse. They likely offer similar value to their new teams. But the trade makes sense considering both teams' financial situations. The 76ers did well to acquire a good second-round pick in a deal that made a lot of sense for them even without it.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mercado NBA: Los Dallas Mavericks se siguen moviendo antes de la Trade Deadline