Dallas Mavericks: Trio of Ducks Worth Trading Into Draft For

The Dallas Mavericks own zero second round picks, but should trade into the second for one of the trio of Oregon Duck prospects.

When the Dallas Mavericks made the trade for Nerlens Noel at the trade deadline, they did so by giving up a protected first round pick that turned into two second round picks. One of those second round picks was in 2017.

This makes Dallas’ only pick in the draft the 9th overall pick…at the moment.

But with Dallas embracing the youth movement, trading into the second round of this draft could give them a prospect of worth moving forward. A prospect that could have a legitimate shot at logging minutes next season.

With a couple of teams owning multiple picks in the second round, including Philadelphia with FOUR, Dallas might be able to snag a second rounder at a cheap price come draft night.

With that second rounder, depending how high up, Dallas should target one of the trio of players who played in Eugene, Oregon last season.

Jordan Bell, 6’9″ PF

The back court duo at Oregon last season gained most of the attention, but it was the defensive presence of Bell in the middle that held the defense together.

Bell is an athletic, linky big man who some thought would return to school. But the big man pushed his chips in the middle and officially declared for the draft. After his impressive play at the NBA Draft Combine, Bell is only rising up draft boards.

"“Bell’s do it all defensive and rebounding style of play has definitely played well at the Combine and it would not be surprising to see him potentially get looks from NBA teams at the end of the first round of some draft boards.” – Source: http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jordan-Bell-70316/ ©DraftExpress"

Bell would step in immediately and give Dallas a young, energetic big off the bench they could develop. Quite honestly, he could be better than Dwight Powell before no time.

Dillon Brooks, 6’7″ SF

Back before March, Brooks was putting up per-40 numbers of 25.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists a game on a Oregon team than was a 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

To many, Brooks was the best player on the Ducks as the combo forward did it all on both ends. He guarded some of the best in the country while giving the Ducks a threat from both the inside and the post on offense. He ended the season by earning the PAC-12 Player of the Year award.

What sets Brooks into the second round is his average physical measurements and even athletic measurements at the combine. But with his I.Q. and skill on the wing, Brooks would be an intriguing option in the second round.

He would come in and compete with Dorian Finney-Smith for backup wing minutes as someone who could play a plethora of positions in the league.

Tyler Dorsey, 6’4″ SG

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If Brooks was the “Batman” of the Oregon Ducks this past season, then Tyler Dorsey was their “Robin”.

Dorsey was one of the best three-point shooters in college basketball as he shot 42% from behind the arc this past year. Although he struggles at times to create his own shot off the dribble, Dorsey is your sniper off the bench who can light it up in a hurry.

In his couple of days at the NBA Draft Combine, Dorsey showed scouts exactly what they wanted to see. In his last game at the combine, Dorsey put up 18 points, 11 rebounds and three assists on just eight shots.

Going into next season, there are two things Dallas needs to improve the most; outside shooting and rebounding. Dorsey would give Dallas a wing option off the bench that would provide instant scoring from the perimeter.

Next: Exploring a Draft Day Trade With Minnesota

The 2017 draft class has numerous second round prospects worth selecting, but Oregon could provide three prospects that should be considered if Dallas trades into the second round.

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