Mavericks Eye Anfernee Simons in 3-Team Trade

Dallas is 4-11 and the season is salvageable if key pieces return healthy, so the proposal stitches a three-team swap sending expiring salaries to Brooklyn and Boston while landing Anfernee Simons and Brandon Highsmith for the Mavericks. The deal aims to boost Dallas’ backcourt without surrendering a first-rounder, uses Boston’s Kristaps Porziņģis trade exception to take on Daniel Gafford, and has the Nets acting as cap-space facilitators in exchange for picks and prospects. Merlin sees a pragmatic, low-risk plan: Simons can start at point until Kyrie Irving returns and then slide to the wing, while Highsmith brings defense and playoff grit. Boston clears luxury-tax pain and fills a center need; Brooklyn profits as the league’s wallet-moving middleman. If health returns and Simons adapts, Dallas’ play-in hopes revive — but the clock is short.