Mavericks Make Blockbuster Trade Involving Dennis Smith Jr. To Knicks For Kristaps Porzingis
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The Dallas Mavericks announced Thursday they have acquired All-Star forward Kristaps Porzingis along with guards Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee and Trey Burke, in a blockbuster trade with the New York Knicks in which they gave up guard Dennis Smith Jr., center DeAndre Jordan, guard/forward Wesley Matthews and two future first-round draft picks.
In a related move, Dallas has also requested waivers on forward Ray Spalding.
Porzingis (7-3, 240) holds career averages of 17.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 31.0 minutes per game in 186 games (185 starts) with New York. He averaged a career-high 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and a career-high 2.4 blocks in 48 games (all starts) for the Knicks last season en route to being named a 2018 NBA All-Star. Porzingis suffered a torn left ACL against Milwaukee on Feb. 6, 2018, ending his 2017-18 season.
He has yet to play in 2018-19.
The former fourth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft appeared in 72 games (all starts) for the Knicks as a rookie in 2015-16, averaging 14.3 points, a career-high 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 28.4 minutes on his way to being named to the 2016 NBA All-Rookie First Team.
A native of Liepaja, Latvia, Porziņgis began his professional career with Spain's Cajasol Seville. He was a two-time recipient of the ACB All-Young Players Team (2014, 2015) and was also named a EuroCup Rising Star in 2015.
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Hardaway Jr. (6-6, 205) holds averages of 13.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 25.9 minutes in 384 career games (162 starts) with New York and Atlanta. He was averaging a team-high 19.1 points for the Knicks this season. Hardaway is the son of former Maverick Tim Hardaway Sr.
The former Michigan guard was the 24th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft after a three-year college career for the Wolverines. He earned First Team All-Big Ten honors as a junior in 2013. Hardaway also earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors for the Knicks in 2014.
Lee (6-5, 215) is an 11-year veteran from Western Kentucky, who holds career averages of 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.0 steal and 27.9 minutes per game in 765 games (505 starts) with Orlando, New Jersey, Houston, Boston, Memphis, Charlotte and New York. He was the 22nd overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Magic.
Burke (6-1, 175) holds career averages of 11.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 24.1 minutes in 336 games (127 starts) with Washington, Utah and New York.
Burke, who is in his sixth NBA season, was named the National College Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2013 after leading Michigan to the NCAA Tournament championship game, where it lost to Louisville. He was teammates with Hardaway Jr. on the Wolverines squad that advanced to the title game.
Smith Jr. (6-3, 195) was drafted by Dallas with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Mavericks' first selection in the top 10 since drafting Robert Traylor with the sixth pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, then trading his rights to Milwaukee for the rights to Dirk Nowitzki, the ninth overall pick.
In 101 career games (all starts) over a season-and-a-half with Dallas, Smith averaged 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 29.3 minutes. He recorded his second career triple-double with 13 points, a career-high-tying 10 rebounds and a career-high 15 assists at New York on Wednesday, Jan. 30.
Jordan (6-11, 265) signed with Dallas this offseason and averaged 11.0 points, 13.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 blocks and 31.1 minutes in 50 games (all starts) with the team. He holds the highest rebounding average in franchise history (13.7 rpg).
Matthews (6-5, 220) signed with Dallas as a free agent in July 2015, and averaged 12.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 33.3 minutes in 258 games (all starts) with the club. He went 616-of-1,669 (.369) from deep with the Mavericks, which are the sixth-most triples in franchise history.
Spalding (6-10, 215) appeared in one game as rookie for Dallas this season. He was selected by Philadelphia in the second round (56th overall pick) of the 2018 NBA Draft, before having draft rights traded with Kostas Antetokounmpo (the 60th overall pick) to Dallas in exchange for the 54th overall pick Shake Milton.