Dallas Mavericks Won the Lottery Tiebreaker, Now What?

The Dallas Mavericks won the lottery tiebreaker with the Atlanta Hawks. Now we all wait to see what happens on May 15th.

With a surprising win by the Orlando Magic on the last day of the regular season, that left the Atlanta Hawks and the Dallas Mavericks tied with a 24-58 record.

Both the Hawks and the Mavericks tied for the third worst record in the league.

On Friday, April 13th, the NBA held a drawing to determine which team would be three and four in the lottery standings.

The Mavericks won the drawing and currently sit with a 13.8% chance of landing the first overall pick in the draft. If no teams jump ahead of them or the Hawks, Dallas will pick three and Atlanta at four.

So now what?

For lottery teams, everything is put on hold until the draft lottery on May 15th when the ping pong balls determine the official order of the 2018 NBA Draft.

The Mavericks are sending Michael Finley to the lottery in hopes of good luck. Finley is a “Chicago kid”, as Donnie Nelson likes to call him, and plans on taking his family to the lottery in hopes of good luck on lottery night.

What if Dallas wins the lottery and earns the top overall pick in the draft in June?

Most people consider the 2018 NBA Draft a two player draft at the top. DeAndre Ayton, the seven foot big man out of Arizona with a chiseled body that resembles a young David Robinson. Then you have the international sensation in Luka Doncic. Doncic is a 6’8″ point forward with passing vision and a feel to the game that is unheard of at his age.

For Ayton, he would fit seamlessly into the Dallas offense as the next big man of the future for the Mavericks and a big to pair with Dennis Smith Jr. for the next decade. Doncic would be the secondary ball handler to Smith Jr. and would give Dallas a wing to pair with Smith Jr. and Barnes.

At this moment, I would predict Dallas to select Luka Doncic if they landed the top pick.

If they land at the two spot, it is simple: take whoever is left between Doncic and Ayton.

If the odds play out and the Mavericks land at the three spot, this is where it gets interesting as the next group of players are all grouped together in most mock drafts. And each of them have their own storylines.

Jaren Jackson Jr.– JJJ is one of the youngest players in the draft and is one of the only big men that does not have glaring holes on one side of the court. He is slated at three in most mock drafts at the moment heading to Dallas and would give the Mavs a long-term big man for Dennis Smith Jr. that can hit from the outside also.

Marvin Bagley III– Bagley has the highest upside of this group in my opinion even though he struggled defensively at Duke this past season. He would fit right into the starting lineup alongside Harrison Barnes and Dirk Nowitzki in the front court.

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Mohamed Bamba– People will, and already have, fallen in love with his measurements. Over seven feet tall with a 7’9″ wingspan, Bamba could be the next Rudy Gobert. He would be the long-term center in Dallas and anchor the defense for the next decade.

Michael Porter Jr.– Porter Jr. is one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft because if he was completely healthy, he would probably be in the top three conversation. Porter Jr. can also control a lot come draft night. If he denies medical information or pre-draft workouts to teams, it will be hard for them to select him in June.

Mikal Bridges– Bridges gained more steam in the NCAA Tournament when he helped lead Villanova to another title. He is your perfect 3-and-D wing player at 6’7″ and a wingspan over seven feet long. He would be long-term Wesley Matthews replacement.

I am obviously throwing out Trae Young because of Dennis Smith Jr.

Does Dallas go with a young center to develop in Jaren Jackson Jr. or Mo Bamba? Will Porter Jr. work out for Dallas and will the medical staff sign off? Will they go with high upside in Marvin Bagley? What about the highest floor in Bridges?

If Dallas lands at three, they could go in a plethora of directions.

Until May 15th, we can’t possibly predict where Dallas will end up. But one thing is for certain, Dallas won’t pick past 6th in the draft.

Next: One Player to Watch in Each Playoff Series for Mavs

With people like myself who consider the draft a top seven draft, Dallas should get a young cornerstone piece either way.

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