NBA Trade Rumors: Mavs have reached out to Warriors about dealing Porzingis

The calendar has turned over to March, and that means we're in the final month of trade season in the NBA. With the league deadline set for March 25, the next few weeks are sure to feature some big names being floated around as trade bait.

Let’s take a look at some of the most interesting trade rumors this week.

Victor Oladipo spurns the Rockets

The Houston Rockets extended an offer to Victor Oladipo for two years and $45.2 million dollars, and Oladipo turned it down, as most expected him to do. The former All-Star guard will be seeking a longer-term deal, but the fact he has now rejected this max offer from the Rockets makes him a tradable asset. While the Rockets have a number of different routes they can take with Oladipo, they would be wise to at least shop him around to other teams to gauge interest.

It's still early in the proceedings, but things can move quickly as Oladipo is a known commodity that could instantly improve a contender. The Miami Heat have built their roster intelligently and cheaply, thus making them a frequent name that comes up in trade rumors, but Oladipo doesn’t make as much sense on that roster. I expect the Heat to stand pat through trade season.

The New York Knicks, on the other hand, are a fascinating organization in 2021. They have hope. They have room. They have appeal for a player that wants to escalate his stardom. The Knicks have all the look of a deadline buyer, and Oladipo would be an ideal acquisition if they’re willing to make a move.

Kristaps Porzingis

The Dallas Mavericks may be selling a unicorn. Despite Mark Cuban insisting he’s doing no such thing, reports have surfaced that the Mavs reached out to the Golden State Warriors about their interest in Kristaps Porzingis. The Warriors already have the highest salary in the league, but they are an organization with plenty of cash in reserves coming on the heels of their highly profitable dynasty run.

Rookie center James Wiseman is incredibly talented, but if the Warriors want to stay contenders they would benefit tremendously from an outside shooting big man. Porzingis is only in the second year of his five-year deal with the Mavs, but he has been plagued by injuries. The Mavs also have the worst defense in the league, and something may need to change for them to have any hope of turning that around.

JJ Redick is a natural fit for the Celtics

There is a tried and true tradition in the NBA of title contenders pursuing a cagey veteran that can shoot the three. JJ Redick has been in the league for 15 years, but still shoots the ball superbly from deep. Redick is a career 41.5% three-point shooter, and while he’s down to 35.9% this season with the Pelicans, he can still be a helpful piece coming off the bench.

The Boston Celtics are the obvious choice to seek Redick’s services, as they need better shooting pronto. Current guards Payton Pritchard and Jeff Teague are not great fits for their dynamic wings, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and the roster would benefit more from a sharpshooter that can catch and shoot kick-outs.

The New Orleans Pelicans are at just 14-19, and may have little hesitation to part ways with a veteran contact for the second half of the year.