Mavs NBA Draft Big Board: Desires at 18 and 31

The NBA Draft is finally upon us, and the Dallas Mavs are in prime position to make some noise. So what direction could they take on draft night?

DALLAS - With NBA Draft night finally arriving, and lots of uncertainty in the air, the Mavs face one of their most important drafts in recent history. As the Mavs made the playoffs for the first time in four years in 2020, they could add the young, affordable player to pair next to Luka Doncic. 

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Here's how Richard Stayman of MavsDraft.com and DallasBasketball.com sees the Mavs' draft night playing out:

Picks Held: 18, 31

State of the Franchise:

• Arguably the top rising team in the NBA
• Looking to compete for titles for the foreseeable future
• A young core that may need a veteran glue-player
• Needs a lockdown defender on the wing

Team Needs:

• Wing depth
• Rim protection
• Guard shooters
• Team defense

Current players under contract for next season:

Guards: Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson, Seth Curry, Delon Wright

Wings: Dorian Finney-Smith, Justin Jackson

Bigs: Kristaps Porzingis, Maxi Kleber, Boban Marjanovic, Dwight Powell

Options: Willie Cauley-Stein (declined), Tim Hardaway Jr (Player)

Upcoming FA: JJ Barea, Courtney Lee, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Past 5 drafts:

2015: Justin Anderson, Satnam Singh

2016: AJ Hammons

2017: Dennis Smith Jr

2018: Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson

2019: Isaiah Roby

#18 Big Board:

1. Josh Green
2. Desmond Bane
3. Saddiq Bey
4. Aaron Nesmith
5. Precious Achiuwa
6. Aleksej Pokusevski
7. Tyrese Maxey
8. Leandro Bolmaro
9. Grant Riller
10. Theo Maledon
11. Elijah Hughes
12. Jaden McDaniels
13. Daniel Oturu
14. Immanuel Quickley
15. Tyrell Terry

#31 Big Board:

1. Elijah Hughes
2. Daniel Oturu
3. Immanuel Quickley
4. Tyler Bey
5. Jordan Nwora
6. Cassius Stanley
7. Robert Woodard
8. Killian Tillie
9. Cassius Stanley
10. Mamadi Diakite

Other options:

The Mavs are likely to make a move in the draft, whether it be to get a pick in 2021 or to move up close to the lottery. Should the Mavs move up, look for Dallas to target a player who falls by surprise. This could be any of the following:

• Onyeka Okongwu, who is fighting a foot injury, but is #2 currently on the MavsDraft Big Board,
• Devin Vassell, whose projected draft range could be anywhere from 6-12,
• Obi Toppin, who has legitimate defensive and creation concerns, but is the best athlete and best off-ball player in the draft,
• Tyrese Haliburton, who is a defensive-minded playmaker with shooting upside,
• Or, and this may be the most probable, the Mavs jump a team in the lottery that they see as most threatening to select Saddiq Bey. The three-and-D wing is a similar prospect to Wesley Matthews and is exactly the kind of prospect the Mavs are looking to pair with franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic

The Mavs’ draft night possibilities are endless and should be exciting to play out. No matter what direction the Mavs take, there’s lots to be excited about with the future of the franchise.