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Dallas Mavericks Receive: Terrence Ross, Nikola Vucevic

Orlando Magic Receive: Harrison Barnes, Dennis Smith Jr.

The Magic are a natural trade partner if the Mavericks, as Stein noted, aren't in love with the long-term fit between Dennis Smith Jr. and Luka Doncic. Orlando needs a point guard to groom for the future and doesn't have an obvious path to getting one.

Next year's rookie class isn't teeming with exceptional floor generals. In the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, the only point guards who crack the lottery are Murray State's Ja Morant and Vanderbilt's Darius Garland—and the latter is hardly a surefire top-14 prospect.

Free agency doesn't offer the Magic much more of a safe haven. They're not a prospective destination for Kyrie Irving (player option), and Eric Bledsoe, Malcolm Brogdon (restricted), Terry Rozier (restricted) and D'Angelo Russell (restricted) won't be as palatable at significantly more expensive price points. Anyone they sign at a reasonable rate will either be a stopgap (Patrick Beverley, Darren Collison) or just not lead-guard material (Cory Joseph, T.J. McConnell).

Smith has two years left on his rookie-scale contract after this one, so he gives Orlando an upper-tier prospect to develop without the imminent threat of breaking the bank. And to get him without forking over Jonathan Isaac or a future first-round pick is a big deal.

Terrence Ross and Nikola Vucevic are having career years, but they're potential goners over the offseason. Mo Bamba and Aaron Gordon make it difficult to justify a top-dollar investment in Vucevic, and Ross, who turns 28 in February, isn't a clean fit for a rebuilding timeline.

And make no mistake: The Magic are rebuilding. They don't yet have a face-of-the-franchise anchor. Smith could be that guy, or he could just be the answer at point guard. Either outcome is worth flipping two expiring contracts and stomaching the final year of Harrison Barnes' deal (player option).

Dallas is selling sort of low on Smith if Ross and Vucevic aren't part of the big picture. But Doncic has accelerated the Mavericks' window, they aren't flush with wings, and DeAndre Jordan isn't the solution in the middle. Ross and Vucevic could be keepers, and they most certainly improve Dallas' chances of breaking into the playoff picture this season.

Worst-case scenario, the Mavericks end up using Smith to chisel out another $25.1 million in cap space for this summer. Wiping Barnes off the ledger fast tracks them toward more than $75 million in wiggle room while carrying restricted free-agent holds for Maxi Kleber and Dorian Finney-Smith. That, plus the opportunity to play with Doncic, positions Dallas to shell out two max contracts and/or build an insta-contender.