Dorian Finney-Smith keeps proving his value while rumors of Mavs trading for another starter swirl – The Dallas Morning News

The difference was evident on the scoreboard and in the box score, but in case Dorian Finney-Smith’s return to the court Sunday night wasn’t widely noticed and appreciated, teammate Josh Richardson expressed it.

“To have my defensive partner back out there with me was good,” Richardson said after he and Finney-Smith combined to help limit Portland’s duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to a combined 32 points and 0-of-12 3-point shooting.

Coach Rick Carlisle also credited Mavericks defensive coordinator Jamahl Mosley for devising an “unusual” game plan two nights after Lillard and McCollum gouged Dallas with 63 points and 11-of-23 3-point shooting in Portland’s six-point win.

Certainly the 46-point turnaround on the scoreboard wasn’t largely due to Finney-Smith’s return from two-game paternity leave, but it wasn’t pure coincidence, either.

The timing of his return and Sunday’s thorough victory is perhaps significant, with Thursday’s 2 p.m. trade deadline looming.

Monday’s start of trade week brought reports of Mavericks interest in three players who could be considered Finney-Smith’s starting lineup replacements: Atlanta’s John Collins, Orlando’s Aaron Gordon and fellow Magic forward Evan Fournier.

Dallas also continues to be linked to idled Detroit big man Andre Drummond and, as of Monday, a new name: Toronto swingman Norman Powell.

In reality, the start of trade week generally is about posturing and generally exploring what-if scenarios. It usually isn’t until the 24 or so hours leading into the deadline when the games of poker turn serious and teams show their best offers or fold.

Given Dallas’ recent offseason history, it should surprise no one that the Mavericks are at least exploring the possibility of upgrading at the small forward/power forward position — the role Finney-Smith, 27, has anchored the past two seasons, starting 98 of the 101 games he has played.

“It’s common knowledge,” a league source told The News of the Mavericks, “that they want another long defender who can make 3s.”

Perhaps ironically, the same source said there is interest around the league in Finney-Smith because of the intangibles he possesses — lockdown defensive ability, team-first mentality and quite a value at his salary of $4 million this season and next.

The source said the Mavericks aren’t shopping Finney-Smith, but, rather, teams’ interest in him is organic, perhaps fueled by the general belief that Dallas is exploring the market for forwards, seemingly making Finney-Smith more expendable.

In actuality, a Mavericks source says the team still greatly values Finney-Smith for the reasons stated above, despite his statistical dips this season after a January bout with COVID-19.

His scoring, rebounding and 3-point shooting numbers had increased each of his first four seasons after he arrived in Dallas as an undrafted free agent. But this season he’s averaging 8.3 points (down from 9.5 last year), 5.3 rebounds (down from 5.7) and 35.2% 3-point shooting (down from 37.6%).

Finney-Smith’s play in the Disney World bubble last August was stellar. In seeding play he had 27 points and 11 rebounds against Milwaukee and 16 points and 16 rebounds against Sacramento.

In the playoff series against the Clippers he averaged 10.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists — including outputs of 16-6-4 in Game 6 and 11-7-4 in Game 3.

Though his upward trajectory hasn’t continued this season, at least statistically, there is optimism within the organization that his post-COVID lull (7.9 points, 42% shooting his first 13 games back) is behind him. That certainly appears to be the case defensively.

“He does the little things,” Richardson said. “He’s crashing every time. He’s giving all his energy on defense every time down the court.”

These are intangibles that also would make Finney-Smith an exceptional off-the-bench option. The trouble is, to acquire a player of Collins’ or Gordon’s caliber, the Mavericks probably would have to part with at least one of their valued rotation players — Finney-Smith, Jalen Brunson, perhaps Maxi Kleber.

In addition to a promising younger player, Atlanta and Orlando also reportedly are seeking a first-round pick.

Because of the league rule prohibiting teams from trading first-round picks in consecutive years, and because New York owns Dallas’ 2021 and 2023 first-round picks, the soonest first-round pick Dallas could trade is 2025. And to do that, the Mavericks would have to remove the top-10 protection on the 2023 pick and convey it to the Knicks outright.

Conversely, 28-year-old Fournier, who is averaging 19.1 points, 3.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds, is on an expiring $17 million contract and probably could be acquired with James Johnson’s expiring $15.9 contract and a lesser supplemental package than Collins or Gordon would require.

As of Monday evening, two league sources said the Hawks are resisting overtures for Collins. Atlanta carried an eight-game winning streak into Monday’s late game at the Clippers, and 23-year-old Collins has been outstanding, averaging 18.6 points and 8.9 rebounds in March.

Collins, 23, will become a restricted free agent this offseason, so if he isn’t traded before Thursday’s deadline the Mavericks could make him a qualifying offer in the summer.

Acquiring Collins now, though, would put the Mavericks in similar position as when they traded for Kristaps Porzingis and he entered restricted free agency. Dallas knew it could retain his rights simply by matching the highest offer sheet. Instead, Porzingis signed a max $158 million contract with Dallas.

It’s unlikely that the newest trade rumors will faze Finney-Smith.

After all, he knows the Mavericks offered a free agency contract to Tobias Harris two summers ago. And that they had interest in Jerami Grant last summer. And that Dallas was among the teams pining for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

And, of course, Dallas also drafted Josh Green and Tyler Bey in November. Perhaps someday one or both of those players will fulfill Dallas’ longtime yearning for a star-caliber small forward, but clearly that isn’t the case at the moment.

For now the job still is Finney-Smith’s. And the Mavericks needed him back on the court, no matter how much longer that might be.

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