Mavs Select Shot-Blocking Center in Latest ESPN NBA Mock Draft

The Mavs are projected to add an intriguing center prospect in ESPN's latest NBA mock draft to help repair their defense around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

DALLAS — As the 2023 NBA Draft nears on June 22, the Dallas Mavericks continue to be a team to monitor. After a 38-44 finish to their 2022-23 campaign, there is a major need to make a meaningful addition to the roster around Luka Doncic and impending free agent Kyrie Irving using the 10th overall pick. 

Among the Mavs' top communicated roster improvement focuses this offseason include defense and rebounding. The team ranked 26th in defensive rating and 30th in total rebounding percentage last season. 

"I think for us going into the offseason, the two biggest things that we need to work on is defense and rebounding," Mavs general manager Nico Harrison said during his media exit interview. "That's going to be addressed."

In ESPN's latest NBA mock draft, the current projection is for the Mavs to use the 10th pick to select shot blocking center Derek Lively II out of Duke. 

"Lively appears to have helped himself quite a bit in the pre-draft process, having shown improvement over the course of the year at Duke, and now recontextualized himself as the highest upside true center in a draft that's unusually thin at his position," Woo explained. "His range is believed to begin with the Mavericks -- he could provide a long-term answer at center -- and his responsibilities would be made easy by playing alongside Luka Doncic."

The current projection from ESPN for Lively is that he ends up being selected within the 10-14 range, but is unlikely to fall out of the top 10 of the lottery. If the Mavs were to trade down in the order with the idea of selecting him, this information indicates a likelihood that he'd be gone. .

"The Magic (No. 11), the Thunder (No. 12) and Hawks (No. 15) are also believed to have interest, and it seems unlikely Lively falls too far out of the lottery, if at all."

The continued perception is that Dallas will continue to monitor trade avenues using the 10th pick. The mock draft also included reporting of a possible trade framework involving the Mavs acquiring Bojan Bogdanovic and the 31st overall pick from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Tim Hardaway Jr. and the 10th pick. 

"Some trade scenarios could be in play for the Pistons with the No. 31 pick as well, for example, packaging Bojan Bogdanovic for Tim Hardaway Jr. and the No. 10 pick, sources tell ESPN," Jonathan Givony wrote.

It still remains to be seen if the pick announced at 10th overall will end up being for the Mavs, or being made with the intent of selecting for another team as a formality with a trade. Regardless, major improvement is needed for a team that with title contention aspirations. 

---

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).

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Mavericks? Click Here. Follow DallasBasketball.com on Twitter and Facebook.