The Mavericks own the 10th pick in Thursday night’s draft.
So what should they do?
Keep it and find a solid player who can help them for years to come?
Trade it and other assets for a contributor they feel can help win big now?
They are not the first team to go one-on-one with this situation, especially when the Mavericks are just 14 months removed from being in the Western Conference finals.
A year ago at this time, it was the Atlanta Hawks who had gone to the East finals in 2021, then fallen off badly in the following season. The Hawks bit the bullet and made a bold move to go out and get Dejounte Murray. It hasn’t paid big dividends, yet, but their future still looks good.
The win-now mantra was something that the Mavericks lived by for years when Dirk Nowitzki was in his prime.
Luka Dončić is a different player and a different person. But the attitude needs to be the same. The clock is always ticking.
That said, the risk-reward of a major trade is something we all know exists. Even Phoenix, which got Kevin Durant at the same time (roughly) that the Mavericks got Kyrie Irving, fully acknowledged that the trade would be more about next year than the one they just finished by getting bounced in the second round.
The Mavericks already have made a major overhaul with Irving. If they keep him in free agency, is another ground-shaking move prudent?
These are all questions for Nico Harrison and Mark Cuban.
The rest of us probably won’t know the answers until after Thursday’s draft.
And now, on with the questions:
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Why do rumors come out about the Mavs’ draft plans if historically Mark Cuban has run a tight ship? John K.
BIG ED: I have a couple theories on this. First – and this is kind of obvious – it takes two to tango and anytime the Mavericks make a phone call (or receive one), the agent or other team’s executive knows what the call entails. Sometimes the loose lips might be on the other end. But just as often, I think what happens is that the bits of speculation that do seep out are the things that the Mavericks don’t mind seeping out. In other words, they aren’t usually true. Allowing misinformation to become public isn’t a bad thing when it comes to trying to reach the result you’re looking for. In other words, most of what you hear has little chance of happening. Yes, sometimes good reporters will have solid sources who know what’s going on. And if they leak info, that’s good for the reporter. By then, however, the details are often already worked out and the deal cannot be sabotaged. It’s a game of deception in many ways at this time of the year. So is poker. The stakes are just a little higher in this game.
QUESTION: So, if the Mavericks keep their pick, who will they take?
BIG ED: Let’s assume that Anthony Black is off the table by then. If he’s not, that has to be the pick. But if he’s not there (and he should go in the top eight), it will come down to this grouping, I believe: Gradey Dick, Dereck Lively and Cason Wallace. Lively (from Duke) would fill a glaring void at center. He’s got a 7-7 wingspan, good shot-blocking instincts and knows how to get to the rim on the pick-and-roll. Kansas product Dick is a drop-dead shooter and we all know how much that is valued in the league. Wallace (Kentucky) has a chance to be one of the most NBA-ready point guards in this draft. All of this also assumes that Taylor Hendricks is long gone. If the UCF forward is there, the Mavericks should take him, although, admittedly, nobody has consulted me for my opinion, which is all this is. But the guess here is that Lively will be the pick.
QUESTION: What are your thoughts on the Ja Morant suspension? Will S.
BIG ED: I’ve had players tell me that they have to be pretty egregious to do something that merits even a brief suspension for off-court issues. Mostly, they were talking about substance abuse or performance-enhancing drugs. In Morant’s situation, he’s had a pattern of behavior that clearly does not conform to what the NBA stands for. And he has been shown on social media twice with a gun in possession. Repeating the offense opens the door for the league to take harsher action, which it did. Personally, I applaud the move. But the bigger issue in all of this is what the league can do to promote safer schools and safer public places for all people. Too many mass shootings have happened and certain people in the NBA have done a good job of raising awareness (Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr among them). Most rational humans agree that safety, especially for our children, is one of the major problems that needs addressing. How we create that change is the tougher question.
QUESTION: We know Victor Wembanyama will go first to San Antonio. Who goes after him?
BIG ED: Truthfully, I haven’t paid a lot of attention to the rumors around Nos. 2-4 in the draft because I think the chances are zero that the Mavericks would end up there somehow. That said, all the mocks have Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller and Amen Thompson going 2-3-4, although not always in that order. It sounds like Henderson is the best prospect of the three and even though he plays a lot of the same position as LaMelo Ball, the Hornets need talent and if he’s a significantly better player than Miller (or Thompson), they will take him and worry about dealing with having an abundance of good playmakers later.
Twitter: @ESefko
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