Pre-Draft Outlook
The Dallas Mavericks avoided losing the No. 10 pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, and now the club is tasked with adding another young core player capable of contributing right away. Franchise superstar Luka Doncic can’t exercise his player option to hit free agency until the summer of 2026, but the Mavericks need to surround him with the requisite talent so the point guard can feel confident in the direction of the franchise. That’s especially true after a disappointing 2022-23 season in which the Mavs missed the postseason after advancing to the 2022 Western Conference Finals. Dallas picks in the top 10 for the first time since 2018, and there’s plenty of talent there to add to a solid duo of promising youngsters Josh Green and Jaden Hardy. The status of pending unrestricted free agent Kyrie Irving could also affect how the Mavericks move at the Draft.
The Way To Go
The Mavericks traded away versatile 3-and-D man Dorian Finney-Smith to Brooklyn to land Irving, and the result manifested itself quickly on the floor. So, it’s important for Dallas to replenish itself from that standpoint, and players such as Arkansas’ Anthony Black (from right in the Mavericks’ backyard), UCF’s Taylor Hendricks and Kansas’ Gradey Dick could prove ideal fits alongside Doncic in a variety of ways (depending on what traits Dallas most wants from its top pick). Black and Hendricks provide defensive versatility, while Dick is garnering attention for his shooting and floor-spacing ability.
— Michael C. Wright
Here’s a quick look at who the Dallas Mavericks have under contract, who is a free agent this summer and who they added in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Under Contract
G: Josh Green
G: Jaden Hardy
G: A.J. Lawson
G/F: Reggie Bullock
G/F: Tim Hardaway Jr.
F: Davis Bertans
F: Maxi Kleber
F/G: Luka Doncic
C/F: JaVale McGee
Free Agents
G: Kyrie Irving (unrestricted)
G: Frank Ntilikina (unrestricted)
G: McKinley Wright IV (two-way)
G/F: Theo Pinson (unrestricted)
F: Markieff Morris (unrestricted)
F: Christian Wood (unrestricted)
F/G: Justin Holiday (unrestricted)
F/C: Dwight Powell (unrestricted)
> 2023 Free Agent Tracker
Last Year’s Draft
2022: Wendell Moore Jr. (26)***, Jaden Hardy (37)*
* = acquired via trade
** = traded in draft-night deal
*** = traded in offseason deal