DALLAS — Might the Dallas Mavericks be looking to add a young point guard to their roster with the No. 13 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft? Multiple reports say that just may be the case.
While the Mavericks continue to mule over their options as the draft quickly approaches, the team seems to be leaning in the directions of trading away the selection to free up salary cap space or drafting an international player and stashing him overseas for a year. However, with only seldom-used rookie Jared Cunningham signed in the backcourt heading into next season, point guard is without question a position of need for the Mavericks as they try to fill out a roster capable of returning the team to the postseason.
And with a bevy of point guards to choose from, maybe the Mavs have already locked in on one up-and-coming floor general. That remains to be seen.
Last season, the Mavs featured a revolving door at the point while finishing with a 41-41 record and on the outside looking into the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. And with the Dallas front office expected to pull out all the stops in an effort to land a big-name free agent, the Mavericks could add a veteran at the point position after July 1, if they decide not to go that route during the draft.
“Look, we’ve been spoiled with guys like [Steve] Nash and Jason Kidd, and those are certainly big shoes to fill,” president of basketball operations and GM Donnie Nelson said during his exit interview back in April. “And I think, you know, the quarterback position is one that we’re going to look very, very hard at. We’ve always liked players that are veteran, players that are smart, and having the ability to raise our collective IQ is also something that’s important to us.”
“You’d love to get a point guard that can score, get in the lane a little bit and create his own shot, but also a good passer, a guy that loves to compete on a high level and make his teammates better. I mean, all the good stuff you like to see in a point guard really,” 11-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki added.
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