On May 16, 2023, the NBA hosted its annual Draft Lottery for teams that missed the playoffs. The Dallas Mavericks found themselves in the midst of the lottery after a disappointing 2022-2023 season. The Mavericks managed to end the night with the 10th overall pick, allowing them to keep their top 10 protected draft pick that they had traded to the Knicks. While it is very possible that Dallas may keep this draft pick, it is also very possible that they might seek to trade this pick away to acquire a more “win-now” player.
Deandre Ayton
One franchise that the Mavericks may look to pitch an offer to this offseason is the Phoenix Suns. The Suns’ starting center, Deandre Ayton, has been in trade rumors for a good while. Ever since the Suns did not give Ayton a max rookie extension in the 2021 offseason, there has been tensions between them ever since. Ayton also just came off of a miserable performance in this year’s playoffs, averaging just 13.4 points per game after an 18-points-per-game regular season average. This performance may have indicated a lack of interest in remaining in Phoenix in the future. The Mavericks would definitely desire Ayton’s services, as he would provide a 7-foot presence on the floor that can rebound at a high level and defend well.
Myles Turner
Another player that the Mavericks would likely seek to trade their 10th pick for is Pacers’ center, Myles Turner. Turner began his career with the Pacers and has been there since 2015. Since then, the Pacers have lost in the first round for five consecutive years and missed the playoffs for three straight years. As the Pacers continue rebuilding around star guard Tyrese Haliburton, they may consider moving on from Turner and finding other players that fit their timeline. This could open an opportunity for the Mavericks to make an offer to the Pacers that would allow Dallas to address some of their biggest deficiencies.
Turner is a terrific shot blocker, which would immediately help the Mavericks’ issues with defense and rim protection. While not an excellent rebounder, Turner would certainly provide better rebounding at the center position than current Mavericks’ center Dwight Powell. As a bonus, he can also space the floor a little, working well alongside Luka Doncic and his knack for kicking out to shooters.
OG Anunoby
While this potential trade is a little more far-fetched, there are some rumors that the Mavericks are seeking to include the 10th pick in a trade for Raptors’ forward OG Anunoby. Anunoby is a highly coveted two-way player in the NBA as he is seen as the ideal 3-and-D wing that would heavily boost the talent of any contender. Anunoby actually led the league in steals this past season, displaying what an elite defender he could be for the Mavericks. However, this trade will be very difficult for the Mavericks to pull off, as there are many teams with more tradable assets than Dallas that also want Anunoby.
In any trade that the Mavericks include the tenth pick in, they will have to package it with some of their current players. Tim Hardaway Jr. is the Maverick that is most likely to be included in a trade. Hardaway Jr. is a solid role player that also has a large contract that the Mavericks would probably like to dump elsewhere. If the Mavericks decide to trade their tenth pick, they will almost certainly be include Hardaway Jr. in any trade package. Whatever the Mavericks choose to do with the pick, finding a player that improves the team’s rebounding and/or defense should be the top priority.
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