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Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Richaun Holmes, DeAndre Jordan, 2019 first-round pick (from Milwaukee, via Phoenix; protection for Nos. 1 to 3 and 17 to 30)



Dallas Mavericks Receive: Marc Gasol, Josh Jackson

Phoenix Suns Receive: Dennis Smith Jr.

Two things need to be clear before delving into the first of two Marc Gasol-to-Dallas hypotheticals. First up: Head coach Rick Carlisle is mostly married to rim-runners at the center position. Plugging Gasol into the middle would be more than workable, but a deviation all the same.

Equally important: The Mavericks probably only consider taking him on if he's planning to opt out this summer. Their cap space—which could creep past the $50 million marker—is too precious for them to burn on an aging big.

Gasol doesn't have to be viewed as a rental. They will have his Bird rights. But throwing away roughly half of their projected spending power on him, when he turns 34 in February, is a little too risky. The chance to negotiate a longer contract for sub-superstar money would be more valuable.

Dennis Smith Jr.'s inclusion shouldn't be a deal-breaker. The Mavericks are ramping up their efforts to trade him, according to ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski. Changing him out for a wing prospect with a similarly compromised stock makes some sense.

Josh Jackson doesn't finish well around the rim and is turnover-prone when charged with making plays off the dribble. His jumper remains a liability. But he's shooting 36.1 percent from deep over his past 15 games and is among Phoenix's hardest-working defenders. Kyler Anderson and Robert Covington are the only non-bigs matching his steal and block rates in as many minutes.

The Suns have "no interest" in Smith as of now, according to Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro, but even with De'Anthony Melton having his moments as a playmaker and Devin Booker playing well as the lead ball-handler, they need a point guard.

Mikal Bridges, Kelly Oubre Jr. and T.J. Warren make Jackson borderline expendable, and Richaun Holmes isn't a huge loss with free agency on the horizon. Surrendering the Bucks' first-round pick is hard to do. At the same time, it won't convey this year and the looser protection in 2020 (top seven) doesn't mean a whole lot unless Milwaukee unexpectedly craters.

Phoenix could try subbing in Kelly Oubre Jr., but he cannot be traded in combination with another player after coming over from Washington. Would Memphis take the first and DeAndre Jordan alone? Does Dallas accept Oubre instead of Jackson with him entering restricted free agency?

It shouldn't take much to sell the Grizzlies on the original framework. Jordan is past his prime, and his value inflated by high-percentage dunks and rebounding totals. But he comes off the books after this season, and Holmes is a legit bounce-house worth evaluating beside Jaren Jackson Jr. Plus, snagging any sort of first-rounder for Gasol is a win.