DeMar DeRozan Trade Rumors: Mavs Not Interested in Dealing 1st-Round Pick

The Dallas Mavericks reportedly aren't interested in trading their 2018 first-round pick for Toronto Raptors star DeMar DeRozan, according to Mike Fisher of 247Sports.com.

The report was in response to an ESPN.com article that proposed several potential trades for the Raptors this offseason in the wake of Dwane Casey's firing, including sending DeRozan to the Mavericks for a first-round pick and Wesley Matthews.

As Fisher wrote, "The 6'7" wing DeRozan is a fine enough player for Toronto to retain as a foundational piece...and at $28 mil a year for the next three seasons, is too expensive a piece for the Mavs to use both cap room and a high lottery pick on."

The Mavericks have the third-best odds to win Tuesday's NBA draft lottery, giving them an excellent chance of landing a potential future superstar like Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Marvin Bagley III or Jaren Jackson Jr., among others.

But owner Mark Cuban has made it clear he's not opposed to trading the pick, either.

"We will get the best player available [with the pick], whether it's via draft or even trade," he said in April, per Dalton Trigg of 247Sports.com.

Added Cuban: "It's a long shot that we would trade the pick. But we will be open to anything."

The building blocks in Dallas are point guard Dennis Smith Jr. and forward Harrison Barnes. Smith had a solid rookie season, averaging 15.2 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game, though he was overshadowed by fellow rookies Ben Simmons, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum.

Barnes, meanwhile, emerged as the Mavericks' top option, averaging 18.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. In that pair, the Mavericks have a solid young core, though adding another star—via the draft or a trade—will be key.

It doesn't appear DeRozan will be that star, however. The 28-year-old would not only tie up Dallas' cap space—he's set to make $27.7 million in each of the next two seasons with a player option for a third year—but also cost it a valuable draft pick.

The Mavericks could draft one of the top players in June and add a solid piece in free agency, but a deal for DeRozan would prevent both from happening and cost the team a piece like Matthews. According to Fisher, it's simply a price tag too steep for Dallas.