Mark Cuban Speaks on Mavs' Draft Strategy & Urgent Team Needs

Mavs owner Mark Cuban shared his thoughts on the team's outlook for the 10th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft ahead of the start of Thursday's event.

DALLAS — The stakes are high for the Dallas Mavericks with the 10th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. With a need to improve the roster after a 38-44 season, the team has been linked to no shortage of potential trade frameworks. 

During a radio appearance on 97.1 The Freak before Thursday's NBA Draft, Mavs owner Mark Cuban was asked about a wide-range topics. Among them was the team's strategy to improve the roster with the focus being on the draft.

With the plan being to build around Luka Doncic and impending free agent Kyrie Irving, Cuban wants the 10th pick to add to the core of the team, whether that's by selecting a prospect or using it in a trade.

"With Luka and Kai, we want guys we can stick around them for multiple years," Cuban said. "It really depends who's being offered for us, who's the player available when we pick."

In terms of areas to improve the roster, Cuban highlighted the need to add a rim protecting center and additionally mentioned the need for better rebounding on both ends from the wing. The Mavs finished the 2022-23 campaign ranked 25th in defensive rating and 30th in total rebounding percentage.

"We need a center that can protect the rim," Cuban said. "I think we need to improve our rebounding and offensive rebounding from the wings and power forward position."

Many NBA insiders' read on the Mavs is there being an expectation for a trade out of the 10th pick to get compensated for moving down in the order. However, those plans could change if the right trade doesn't transpire, or if a very short list of prospects are still available by the time the pick is on the clock. 

Among the various possibilities floating out there before the NBA Draft, the Mavs reportedly have trade interest in Clint Capela from the Atlanta Hawks, with there reportedly still being a "chance" that a deal transpires. It remains to be seen if the Hawks will become willing to include Capela in such a trade. 

There are conflicting reports regarding which prospect the Mavs would favor selecting instead of trading the 10th pick. Some claim that prospect is Dereck Lively II, while others understand it as being either Taylor Hendricks or Cam Whitmore. 

Cuban understands the stakes are high for the Mavs with the 10th pick and is looking forward to seeing how it can be used to improve the team. 

"This is the fourth time I've been in the lottery since I've bought the team," Cuban said. Bad reason to be in the lottery, expensive reason to be in the lottery, but we're here, and so it's exciting. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do tonight."

After the NBA Draft, the focus of the offseason will quickly shift to free agency. Irving remains the top priority to re-sign as he's eligible to sign a five-year, $272.9 million contract if he were to re-sign with the Mavs. If he was to depart and sign outright with a different team, he is eligible to sign a four-year, $201.7 million contract.

"We want to sign him, and hopefully he wants to come back," Cuban said. "I'm not going to handicap anymore. I learned my lesson last year."

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Grant Afseth is a Dallas Mavericks reporter for DallasBasketball.com and an NBA reporter for NBA Analysis Network. He previously covered the Indiana Pacers and NBA for CNHI's Kokomo Tribune and various NBA teams for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. Follow him on Twitter (@grantafseth), Facebook (@grantgafseth), and YouTube (@grantafseth).

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