Mavericks next trade target could replace Luka if latest rumor is true

According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Trae Young’s future with the Atlanta Hawks is murky at best, and if that’s the case, the Dallas Mavericks should be one of the first in line to try to trade for him. He could be the perfect guy to lead the offense next to Cooper Flagg moving forward, replacing Luka Doncic as the star point guard in Dallas.

“The long-term outlook for Trae Young in Atlanta is murky at the minimum at this point,” MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective. “This is a guy who has been the face of the Atlanta Hawks for seven years. He's averaged 25 and 10. You know, just led the league in assists. His offensive production has been elite. But there are question marks about whether this is going to, you know, be a long-term marriage.”

A deal for Young could propel Dallas back up the standings in the Western Conference.

Why should the Mavericks trade for Trae Young?

Doncic and Young’s careers are already intertwined. They were traded for each other on draft night, and early in their careers, it looked like they were both going to be for-lifers with the Mavericks and Hawks, respectively.

However, Doncic has since been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in what may be the biggest deal in league history. And now, if Young truly does become available, he could be a potential replacement for Doncic in Dallas.

Young and Kyrie Irving would be a bit of a clunky fit in the backcourt, as neither is an incredible defender, and Young can be a liability on that end. However, offensively, Irving is clearly comfortable playing off the ball, and Young is one of the best playmakers in the NBA.

Plus, with Flagg, Anthony Davis, and a bunch of other solid defenders around them, the Mavs have the infrastructure to keep Young safe on that end of the court.

That being said, what would the Mavs have to give up in a hypothetical trade for Young?

Making the money match alone could prove to be difficult for the Mavericks, though they do have a few players on larger contracts who could be combined in a deal. They would probably have to ship out Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, Caleb Martin, and someone like Max Christie or Naji Marshall just to match Young’s salary.

That’s a lot of depth for Dallas to give up, plus, they would have to give Atlanta some draft capital, too.

Still, adding the offensive firepower of Young and pairing him with Flagg, Davis, and Irving could create a serious contender in the Western Conference and give the Mavs their Doncic replacement at the point guard position.

Jabrill Peppers signs with Steelers after surprising release by Patriots

Veteran safety Jabrill Peppers has found a new home after he was released by the New England Patriots in a surprising move leading up to the team's season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Peppers has agreed to a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. That sets up a showdown against his former team, as the Patriots and Steelers play at Gillette Stadium in Week 3.

He will join a Pittsburgh secondary that was in need of help with starting strong safety DeShon Elliott suffering an injury in Week 1 against the Jets.

"Highly familiar with [Peppers], not only with his time as a Cleveland Brown but scouted him heavily when he came out of Michigan," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday, via CBS Sports. "He's a football player first, positional player second. He's displayed position flexibility over the course of his career at either safety position, at run down, nickel. He's been a capable guy in the special teams space over the course of his career, covering kicks, returning punts. He's just a good, well-rounded football player."

After Peppers was released by the Patriots, there were reports that his lack of fit in the team's defensive scheme played a party in Mike Vrabel's decision to move on. But the first-year Patriots head coach later said that wasn't the case.

"That was not the issue. We're going to try to do what is best for the team. We have a lot of different schemes we can run in all three phases," Vrabel said. "There is a lot that goes into it, and we are just trying to build toward Sunday. That was a decision we had to make and I wish the best for Jabrill."

Peppers played in 38 games during his tenure in New England, starting 26 of them. He had 178 combined tackles, three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

The safety was drafted No. 25 overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2017, then traded to the New York Giants in 2019.