Sources: Dallas Mavericks trade Kristaps Porzingis for Washington Wizards, Spencer Dinwiddie, Davis Bertans
Sources told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski that the Dallas Mavericks agreed to trade Kristaps Porzingis, center/power forward, and a second-round selection to Washington Wizards for guard Spencer Dinwiddie or forward Davis Bertans.
Wojnarowski has learned that the Wizards are also sending Montrezl Harrell, their center, to Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Vernon Carey Jr. & Ish Smith. A source confirmed an Athletic report that Washington also traded guard Aaron Holiday for the Phoenix Suns.
The Mavericks made a significant shift with the Porzingis deal. The Mavericks had purchased Porzingis from New York Knicks in an unprecedented deal in 2019. They hoped that he would become a long-term star alongside Luka Doncic. Porzingis has been plagued by injuries and has averaged 20.0 points 8.8 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 33.3 minutes per game for the Mavericks. Porzingis has missed five of the last five games due to a bone bruise on his right knee. He has two more seasons left on his $158 million five-year contract.
Sources told ESPN that the Mavericks and Dorian Finney Smith reached a deal with Dallas Thursday to extend their $55 million four-year contract.
28-year-old Dinwiddie provides the Mavericks with a playmaking and scoring boost. The Wizards signed him to a three-year contract worth $54 million last offseason. He has a career average of 12.9 points per game and 5.1 assists per game. ESPN sources tell ESPN that Dinwiddie is still optimistic about being re-signed by the team.
Finney-Smith, 28 years old, averages 10.1 points per games and 4.8 rebounds. She also assists with 2.0 assists.
Bertans, who stands at 6’10”, is a 40-year-old career 3-point shooter. He was forced out of Washington by a $80 million five-year deal. This season, he averaged 5.7 point in 34 games.
Harrell is now in his final year of his contract. The Hornets will take over his early Bird rights. General manager of the Hornets, Mitch Kupchak, has been searching for a center who can both score and defend for a while. Harrell, who is 6’7″ tall and 7’4″ wide, is expected to play power forward and center.
Harrell, a former Sixth Man of the year, was part of a logjam of Wizards big players with Thomas Bryant, Daniel Gafford, and all three competing for minutes. Smith has been Charlotte’s third string point guard since joining the team during the winter offseason. He plays behind Terry Rozier and LaMelo ball. He played in 37 games, averaging 4.5 points per game and 2.7 assists. He is back with the Wizards where he played in 37 games and averaged 4.5 points and 2.7 assists.
Carey is a former second-round selection and averages 2.3 points per match.
Holiday scored an average of 6.1 points per game for the Wizards, giving Phoenix more depth in their backcourt.
The trades are made by the Wizards on the same day as Bradley Beal, star guard for the Wizards, had season-ending surgery on the left wrist.
Wojnarowski was told by sources this week that Beal’s agent, Mark Bartelstein from Priority Sports met with Ted Leonsis, owner, and Tommy Sheppard, general manager, to discuss Beal’s future as well as the franchise’s plans for building a roster.
