NBA trade watch: Dallas Mavericks interested in acquiring Boston Celtics’ Jrue Holiday, Chicago Bulls’ Lonzo Ball, and Chris Paul

Without Kyrie Irving, who sustained an ACL injury, Dallas is seeking a veteran point guard to bolster its backcourt. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks are currently interested in trading for Jrue Holiday from the Boston Celtics, Lonzo Ball from the Chicago Bulls and free agent Chris Paul. Every decision has its own pros and cons for Dallas as they plan for the offseason.Jrue Holiday, a two-time NBA champ and a six-time member of the All-Defensive Team, continues to be one of the best defensive guards in the league. However, his existing contract with the Boston Celtics, which has three years and $104 million still to go, creates significant financial obstacles for the Dallas Mavericks. While Holiday's defensive talent and leadership are enticing, the complicated process of acquiring him via an NBA trade makes this option less viable for Dallas.Lonzo Ball recently inked a two-year, $20 million deal with the Chicago Bulls, making him a more reachable target for the Mavericks. After being sidelined for two and a half years because of knee problems, Ball has delivered some encouraging performances, like scoring a season-high 18 points against the Denver Nuggets. Given his contract setup and recent play, he could be a solid choice for Dallas as they aim to bolster their backcourt.At the age of 40, Chris Paul keeps beating the odds, having participated in all 82 games for the San Antonio Spurs throughout the 2024-25 season. He’s putting up averages of 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game, and his leadership and experience are incredibly valuable. With the Spurs acquiring De’Aaron Fox and looking to draft Dylan Harper, Paul's role in San Antonio could shrink, making him a likely free agent option for the Mavericks.Also Read: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, mic’d up during blowout, gets real about what went wrong for Oklahoma City ThunderWith Kyrie Irving injured and out for who knows how long, the Dallas Mavericks are in need of some insurance for their back court and point guards Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball and Chris Paul all pop out as options—each with varying levels of practicality, versatility and impact. Bringing Holiday in could be tough financially, but Ball and Paul seem like the easier takes. There are some serious decisions to make in the wing department in the front office of the Mavericks that will shape the direction of that team for next season.