Editor’s note: This story has been updated.
Many Mavericks fans went to bed before Friday turned to Saturday. The Mavericks’ front office did not.
Just after midnight on Saturday morning, the Mavericks took part in a three-team trade in which they’ll receive James Johnson from the Thunder while sending Delon Wright to the Detroit Pistons and Justin Jackson to Oklahoma City.
As part of the deal, the Thunder will also receive Trevor Ariza and draft compensation “to be named later,” The New York Times’ Marc Stein reported.
A few hours after the Mavericks opened free agency by agreeing to a three-year, $10 million contract with point guard Trey Burke, Dallas added a physical inside contributor in Johnson.
His addition fits with the Mavericks’ focus this week: Adding defensive-minded players and toughness to deepen the production and versatility around Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis as offensive focal points.
Johnson, whom the Thunder received from Minnesota in a trade earlier this week, averaged 8.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 32 games at power forward and center between the Timberwolves and Miami Heat last season.
The 33-year-old Johnson will play the 2020-21 season on the final year of his contract (for $15.8 million) and will join Tim Hardaway Jr. and Boban Marjanovic as the current Mavericks poised to be free agents next summer. That’s when Dallas has long eyed a run at a deep open market.
The deal also frees up additional roster space for the Mavericks amid the NBA’s condensed, chaotic offseason timeline.
Wright, whom the Mavericks received in a sign-and-trade with Memphis last summer, never panned out as the high-rebound, defensive-minded backcourt mate for Doncic. He averaged 6.9 points in 21.5 minutes a game last season.
Jackson also saw his role in the rotation decrease as the season progressed, averaging 5.5 points in about 16 minutes a game.
Johnson is the fifth new player, excluding bubble-reinforcement Burke, to join the Mavericks in the last three days.
Dallas drafted wing Josh Green (No. 18), guard Tyrell Terry (No. 31) and forward Tyler Bey (No. 36) Wednesday night and acquired Josh Richardson from the 76ers in exchange for shooting guard Seth Curry.
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