Art Garcia | Mavs.com

Draft Central 2008

The Mavericks are sitting with the 51st pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Don’t expect them to sit still. Though nothing is guaranteed, dealing into the first round is a very real option.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that we’ll try,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “First-round picks, this time of year, everybody gets enamored with them.”

Pulling the trigger on a trade before the annual dispersal of new talent is unlikely, but all bets are off on June 26. The franchise is usually quite active once David Stern steps up to the podium to announce the No. 1 pick.

In eight drafts during Mark Cuban’s tenure, nine trades have been made involving draft picks. The team has held pat just three times (2001-02 and 2005) over that span.

The first Draft with Cuban added three 2000 first-round picks to the roster in Etan Thomas, Courtney Alexander and Donnell Harvey. The biggest night, in terms of star power, had to be the 2004 haul that landed Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse and Christian Laettner in exchange for Antawn Jamison and cash.

The Mavs can secure one of those precious top 30 picks through a trade or simply by buying one. Teams can sell picks for up to $3 million.

“You know Mark is going to be aggressive,” Carlisle added. “If we can increase our asset base and there’s an opportunity to do it, I’m sure he will consider it.”

President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson and director of scouting Amadou Gallo Fall head up the scouting efforts that span the globe. The team has numerous scouts working throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia.

Dozens of potential draftees will make it through Dallas for interviews and workouts before the Draft. The team is looking for players with potential to make an impact at some point and not at specific positions. 

Carlisle believes the team can find value in the second round. Last year’s two picks – Reyshawn Terry (44th) and Renaldas Seibutis (50th) – both have a great shot at making the roster this season.

“There’s no doubt the draft is deep,” he said. “We feel like at 51 we’re getting somebody that has a chance to make the roster either this year or next year. It may be a European that stays over there. Donnie and Gallo do such a great job of scouring the whole universe so it should be exciting.”

Those added through the Draft will likely join Terry and Seibutis on the summer league roster. Both are working out at the team’s American Airlines Center practice facility even before the team is put together.

“They’re going to be around for summer league so we’re going to have a lot of time to make decisions,” said Carlisle, who plans to spend considerable time at summer league.

The two swingmen played in Greece last season. Terry, a North Carolina product, has added considerable muscle to his 6-foot-7 frame. Seibutis (6-6) could still pack on a few pounds to his slight build, but he’s been compared favorably to a young Doug Collins by the Mavs personnel department.