Los Angeles Clippers Chris Paul Dallas Mavericks
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As the deadline approaches, the Mavericks quietly emerge as a potential Chris Paul suitor ahead of his uncertain future.
Hall of fame point guard Chris Paul’s NBA career is nearing its final chapter, and the Dallas Mavericks have quietly emerged as one of the few teams that still make sense before Thursday’s trade deadline.
Speaking on ESPN Los Angeles, ESPN senior NBA reporter Ramona Shelburne identified Dallas as a potential landing spot for the 40-year-old point guard, citing a unique set of relationships, along with one significant obstacle.
“I think the Dallas Mavericks make a lot of sense,” Shelburne said. “He worked out with Cooper Flagg in the offseason, they’re represented by the same agency … but [the Mavs] don’t have a roster spot right now.”
This dilemma of course makes it difficult for Dallas to land the veteran all-star in free agency if the Clippers elect to waive him. But for the right price, the Mavericks may be willing to part ways with an asset to bring Paul in.
Why Dallas Makes Basketball Sense
From a basketball standpoint, the appeal is straightforward. The Mavericks have been scrambling for stability at point guard since Kyrie Irving went down with a season-ending ACL injury. The experiment with D’Angelo Russell unraveled quickly, and head coach Jason Kidd has leaned heavily on Brandon Williams as a stopgap solution.
Williams has played nearly 500 more minutes than Russell this season, but the Mavericks still lack a true table-setter, particularly one capable of mentoring young players, making the half court offense easier to operate and adding a real facilitator to the roster.
That’s where Paul still holds value. Not as a scorer. Not as a starter. But as a stabilizing presence.
In 16 appearances this season, Paul averaged just 14.3 minutes, posting 2.9 points and 3.3 assists. The production is modest. The resume is not. Over a 21-year career, Paul has logged 1,370 regular-season games with averages of 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 9.2 assists, numbers that cement his Hall of Fame status, even as his on-court impact wanes.
The Clippers Limbo
Paul’s current reality is unusual. Though he signed a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers last offseason, he has been effectively removed from the active roster. Shelburne detailed the awkward standoff in a recent report.
“It’s been nearly two months since the L.A. Clippers announced they’d parted ways with future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul, but if you step into the team’s home locker room, his locker is still saved and lit up like he’s a part of the team,” Shelburne wrote.
“Paul has been training and will be ready to perform if he’s included in a trade before Thursday’s deadline. The Clippers are still amenable to helping him find a new home to play his final season.”
That framing matters. This isn’t about extracting assets. It’s about placement—and dignity.
The Cooper Flagg Factor
Dallas’ interest is also shaped by its future. Rookie forward Cooper Flagg has surged into national prominence, winning Western Conference Rookie of the Month for the third straight time in January. He averaged 20.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 47.8 percent from the field, punctuating the month with a historic 49-point performance, the most ever by a teenager.
Flagg’s rise changes the calculus. The Mavericks aren’t just surviving the season, they’re developing a franchise cornerstone. A short-term addition like Paul could help organize that growth, even in a limited role.
Roster mechanics remain the hurdle. Dallas doesn’t currently have an open spot, and Paul’s value is purely situational. He’s no longer a solution, he’s a supplement.
But for a Mavericks team navigating injuries, uncertainty around Anthony Davis, and the accelerated timeline of a generational rookie, marginal clarity may be worth the move. If this is truly Paul’s final season, Dallas may represent the last place where his presence still adds meaning, if not minutes.