The Dallas Mavericks have emerged as a leading trade suitor for Detroit Pistons guard Marcus Sasser, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. Dallas has multiple salary-cap mechanisms available to complete a deal, including trade exceptions created during the offseason.
Sasser, 25, is entering the final season of his four-year, $13.4 million rookie-scale contract. Stein reported that the Mavericks could use their available exceptions to absorb Sasser’s $5.2 million salary for the 2026-27 season, giving Dallas another option to improve its backcourt depth.
The Mavericks generated significant flexibility after the Anthony Davis trade created a $20.3 million traded player exception, while the team also has the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception available.
A clarification from Keith Smith noted that Dallas’ Jaden Hardy-related trade exception is smaller than previously reported at $2.9 million because AJ Johnson was included in the same transaction, but the Mavericks still have multiple paths to acquire Sasser.
Sasser has spent his first three NBA seasons with Detroit, appearing in 166 games while averaging 7.0 points, 2.7 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game. He has been a reliable perimeter shooter, connecting on 38.6% of his career three-point attempts on 3.0 attempts per game.
The guard’s best season came in 2023-24, when he averaged 8.3 points and 3.3 assists across 71 games. In 2024-25, he improved his efficiency, shooting 46.3% from the field and 38.2% from three while averaging 6.6 points in a reduced role.
Sasser’s 2025-26 season saw his playing time decrease to 12.0 minutes per game, with averages of 5.2 points and 2.0 assists in 38 appearances. However, he maintained his outside shooting, hitting 41.5% of his three-point attempts.
For Dallas, adding another guard would address a roster need after a difficult 2025-26 campaign. The Mavericks finished 26-56, tied for the Western Conference’s fourth-worst record, while dealing with injuries and inconsistent production around rookie centerpiece Cooper Flagg.
Flagg emerged as Dallas’ long-term foundation after averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists over 70 games, winning Rookie of the Year. The Mavericks also added Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. with the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, continuing their focus on building around younger talent.
The franchise recently hired former Michigan head coach Dusty May, who enters his first NBA coaching job after leading the Wolverines to the 2026 national championship. Dallas is expected to prioritize player development and roster flexibility under May and president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri.
