Mock Draft #1: Mavs eying PG or big man in draft?
Earl K. Sneed begins his look at what the Dallas Mavericks will do with the No. 17 pick in this month's NBA Draft, examining if a young point guard or big man fit into the front office's plans.
Mock Draft #1: Mavs eying PG or big man in draft?
DALLAS -- Could the Dallas Mavericks be in the market for a young point guard to groom for the future or a big body to bang in the paint?
Armed with the No. 17 pick in the NBA Draft on June 28 and a second-round selection (No. 55 overall), the Mavericks will unquestionably have an opportunity to seize a young piece -- or two -- to add into the fold after taking the court as the oldest team in the league before their reign as champions ended with a first-round series exit this season. But it’s unsure what direction the Mavs will go in, beginning the offseason with enough financial flexibility to make a splash in free agency for the first time in the Mark Cuban era while also securing a selection just outside of the lottery in a deep draft.
“You’re hopeful (to land a rotation player in the first round), and again, we’re still waiting to see how things shake out,” president of basketball operations and GM Donnie Nelson explained when breaking down the Mavs’ draft day plans. “Yeah, we’ve got a first and a second. … It’s a fairly deep draft, so we’re hopeful, but we’ll be active as usual. You know, whether we decide to draft or package or what have you, I don’t know. But yeah, we think we’re gonna get a player there.”
He added: “I don’t know many rookies that are rotation players of significance, period. But, yes, you would hope that that’s the case.”
According to Hoopworld.com, that could mean that the Mavs go after a young point guard that could step in right away if the team isn’t able to re-sign 18-year veteran Jason Kidd.
In a preliminary mock draft, the site has the Mavericks going after North Carolina standout Kendall Marshall, 20, who at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds possess an NBA build and floor general skills.
As a sophomore, Marshall averaged 8.1 points and 9.8 assists as a pass-first lead guard for the Tar Heels, appearing in 36 games and averaging 33 minutes an outing before requiring surgery on a fractured right scaphoid bone in his wrist suffered in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
The lefty should have no ill effects of the injury to his off hand, however, likely returning to the form he displayed while garnishing AP Third Team All-American honors by ranking second in the nation in assists per game and first in assists-to-turnover ratio (3.48).
Meanwhile, NBADraft.net has the Mavericks going after a two-time All-American big man, tabbing Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger as a potential addition to the Dallas frontline.
After exploding on the scene as a freshman and shunning the draft although he was assumed to be a top-5 pick had he come out last year, the 6-10 and 280-pound Sullinger could fall out of the lottery despite averaging 17.5 points on 51.9 percent shooting and 9.2 rebounds in his second campaign. Slimming down from Year 1 to Year 2, Sullinger is projected as a center at the next level, turning opponents away with a 7-1 wingspan and possessing a solid low-post offensive game to accompany range from the outside.
And with the draft now just over three weeks away, either of the two talented athletes could fit into the Mavericks’ front office plans, as Nelson cites the team’s shortcomings against Oklahoma City as a clear illustration of what the former champs lacked.
“In this league, you’re always looking for athletes. You’re always looking for folks that can protect the paint, you’re always looking for guys that can create their own shot,” Nelson said. “Oklahoma City series, we were beat on both sides of the ball. We couldn’t create opportunities, life was very difficult and it was a grind, but we’ve gotta get guys that can create those opportunities and make life easier for Dirk [Nowitzki] and the rest of the boys.”
