The Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks interlocked at the NBA trade cutoff after both completed transactions with the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday to fortify their playoff aspirations.

Subsequently, the Thunder helped facilitate another Mavericks deal with the Washington Wizards by securing a draft pick exchange in the future. On Saturday, the Mavericks and Thunder clash in Dallas.

Dallas approached the trade deadline with the desire to augment their size and frontcourt depth, and the Mavericks advanced that cause through a couple of trades.

The Mavericks dispatched Seth Curry, Grant Williams and a 2027 first-round pick to Charlotte in exchange for forward P.J. Washington and two second-round picks.

Washington maintains an average of 13.6 points and shoots 44.6 percent from the field, while Williams averaged 8.1 points and had a shooting accuracy of 41.3 percent prior to the trade.

Dallas also obtained center Daniel Gafford from the Wizards in return for Richaun Holmes and a 2024 first-round pick. Oklahoma City secured the rights to swap for the Mavericks’ 2028 first-round pick in the agreement.

“I think we got two really good players,” Mavericks star Luka Doncic said. “We added a backup center, which I wanted (for) like three years already. So I think both players are really going to help us out a lot.”

While the transactions were focused on Dallas’ long-term strategies, they could also prove beneficial in the short term as the Mavericks’ starting center Dereck Lively II is likely to miss his sixth consecutive game on Saturday due to a broken nose.

After facing six defeats in eight games, the Mavericks bounced back and triumphed in their recent three-game road trip, triumphing over the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks.

The Thunder have not played since Tuesday. This is their lengthiest hiatus between games since the beginning of December. As the newcomers for Dallas could potentially make their team debuts on Saturday, it will take a while before the newest addition for Oklahoma City is ready to play.

The Thunder traded Tre Mann, Davis Bertans and Vasilije Micic to the Hornets in exchange for the veteran forward Gordon Hayward.

Hayward has been sidelined since December 26 due to a calf strain.

While Hayward is on the brink of a physical return, Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault declared on Friday that Hayward will not debut for the Thunder until after the All-Star break. Hayward will bring experience to a Thunder roster that ranks as the second-youngest in the league.

“I think whenever you have older guys that’ve kinda been through the league as long as he has,” Daigneault said, “I think he kinda just brings a different dynamic of success and what we need to win.”

While the Thunder will not have Hayward against the Mavericks, they anticipate the return of guard Isaiah Joe.

Joe has been absent for the previous four games due to a bruised sternum, but he returned to practice on Friday. Joe leads the Thunder with an average of 2.0 3-pointers per game, shooting at a 42.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Saturday’s game marks the second of four meetings between the two teams this season.

Oklahoma City secured a 126-120 victory on December 2 in their game in Dallas. The Thunder led the game by 23 points entering the fourth quarter before the Mavericks outscored them 36-19 in the final quarter.