Caleb Martin is still a Dallas Maverick, kicking off his eighth professional season and his third with the team, but don’t expect him to be a factor when the calendar flips to opening day. The veteran forward, who signed a massive $35 million contract with the 76ers in the summer of 2024, is now on the third year of that deal, and his presence on the roster is a glaring problem for Dallas.
The Bizarre Trade That Just Won’t Die
This whole situation traces back to former General Manager Nico Harrison, who pulled off what “ball-knowers” widely considered a terrible trade in February 2025. Harrison sent Quentin Grimes to the 76ers for Martin just before the trade deadline. Seriously, a bizarre move that went mostly unnoticed because of all the hype around the Luka Doncic deal. But trust me, the people who actually know hoops knew it was a dud then, and it’s still a dud now. Martin’s contract is a constant, irregular reminder of just how much of a failure Harrison actually is.
Big Money, No Role, Huge Headache
So here we are, Martin is still with the franchise heading into the 2026-27 season, but he has almost no role at all, thanks to how the rest of the roster is built. Let’s be real, the guy isn’t very good anymore. He seems to have hit his absolute ceiling back when he was with the Miami Heat before he even signed with the 76ers. Now, he’s making $10 million this year, and just under that for his player option next year. That’s a decent chunk of change for a player who, frankly, isn’t helping your team win games. Dallas has too many forwards as it is, and Martin is the least interesting one when you look at the team’s future. One has to think he’s the number one guy the team hopes it can move. Can you even blame them?
The issue with moving him is two-fold. Yeah, he makes good money, but not so much that it’s impossible to trade him outright. The real kicker is his on-court value. If you want to move Martin, you’d likely have to send draft picks out just to get another team to take on that contract, rather than actually getting anything in return. Yikes!
What’s Next for the Mavs and Martin?
The biggest question for the Mavs has to be whether Caleb Martin will actually remain with the team for the entire 2026-27 season. The best-case scenario for him, and honestly for the Mavericks, is for him to embrace that veteran role, giving you spot minutes when you’re either blowing out an opponent or getting completely shelled. And when he *does* play, you hope he can connect at or above 35% from three-point range, which is what he managed last season on just under one attempt per game. The worst-case scenario? Martin has to play a significant number of games. That’s a tough thought for any Mavs fan.
As the NBA calendar marches towards opening day, the Dallas Mavericks have got a huge puzzle piece they are desperate to shift. Can they make a move and escape this financial albatross, or will this $10 million roster spot continue to be a painful reminder of a past blunder?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mavs Moneyball.
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