NBA Trade Deadline 2012: The One Trade the Dallas Mavericks Must Make

MAVERICKS TRADE: Lamar Odom, Rodrigue Beaubois, Dominique Jones & the Lakers second-round Pick

SUNS TRADE: Steve Nash and Michael Redd

The Dallas Mavericks, as a franchise, currently have a split personality. One of their personalities has its mind completely set on repeating as NBA champions.

The other has its sights set on doing whatever it takes to be able to sign "Superman" Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and hometown hero Deron Williams this offseason when both superstars become unrestricted free agents.

The problem with having split personalities, however, is that one is a true and realistic personality, while the other is focused on fantasy.

Let me be crystal clear here: The Dallas Mavericks have no realistic shot at signing both Dwight Howard and Deron Williams next season. None.

The simple fact of the matter—or financial fact of the matter, I should say—is that even if the Dallas Mavericks do not pick up Lamar Odom's or Brandan Wright's team options and amnesty overpaid Brendan Haywood next season, they will still only have around $25 million in cap space with which to sign free agents. That is nowhere near enough to sign both Howard and Williams.

If they somehow manage to trade Shawn Marion for an expiring contract, they would up their chances, but it would still be tough.

I highly doubt that there are any teams in the league lining up to take on Marion's contract or help the defending-champion Mavericks and their owner Mark Cuban land the nightmare duo of Howard and Williams.

With that said, it does seem sensible for the Mavericks to focus exclusively on Howard, the best center in the game, rather than Williams, a top-five point guard. The Mavs would therefore be wise to focus their point guard search on other players.

No-one would be a better fit than former Maverick and Dirk Nowitzki's buddy, Steve Nash.

If the Mavericks are able to trade the disappointing Lamar Odom, "more-talent-than-production" Beaubois, "all-potential-and-no-production" Jones and the second-round draft pick they acquired from the Lakers in the Odom trade, it would be the best of both worlds for Dallas.

The Mavericks would not only get one of the best point guards in the league in Nash, but they would reduce their salary for next season, giving them more money to offer free agents as well.

This is a complete no-brainer trade for the Mavericks.

As for the Suns, odds are they will lose Nash for nothing next season in free agency unless they trade him for as much as they can before this year's March 15 trade deadline.

Receiving a promising young point guard and talented young shooting guard, both on cheap rookie contracts, along with the expiring contract of Odom and a second-round draft pick is a solid return for the rebuilding Suns.