Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs should trade down in this year’s NBA Draft

The Dallas Mavericks traded away their first round pick in order to get Luka Doncic last year, leaving them with just the 37th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. They should leverage this into multiple picks later on in the draft.

The 2019 NBA Draft class is a pretty strange one all things considered. There is a clear cut number one (and maybe number two at this point), 6-8 guys in the next tier and then maybe 30+ guys that could presumably be in that third tier of players. For the Dallas Mavericks, that would mean they are all but guaranteed a guy that they should be high on by pick number 37.

With the whole draft in shambles once the top 8-10 guys are gone, there is no telling who may be available for the Mavs at pick 37. Because there is a really good chance that Dallas will not only have one good player available, they could have multiple, the thought to potentially trade down for multiple picks is very interesting.

Last year, the Mavs did exactly that. They had the 54th pick in the draft and the Philadelphia 76ers wanted Shake Milton. They offered Dallas the 56th and 60th pick for the 54th and Dallas got Ray Spalding and Kostas Antetokounmpo.

If an offer like that were to present itself again for the Mavs, it could be something to consider. The Sacramento Kings have three picks after the Mavs at 37. A potential deal for the 40th and 60th or even the 47th and 60th could benefit both teams. The Los Angeles Clippers also have two picks after the Mavs with the 48th and 54th.

Some of the guys that have been talked about a lot from the combine could be available really late in this draft, like a Kyle Guy, Jared Harper, Jordan Bone or Nicolas Claxton. There is really no telling who will be available for the Mavs at 37 or after that.

I am not super high on this draft class as a whole, which is why I think that maximizing the Mavs chances at finding a gem in the 2nd round is a better idea than getting someone slightly higher on the team’s draft board.

If there is someone the Mavs really like at 37 that they don’t think they could still get if they trade back, then they should definitely make the pick. I trust the judgment of Donnie Nelson, Rick Carlisle and Mark Cuban when it comes to scouting out talent and trusting their instincts. This desire is based specifically on my own breakdown of the draft class.

Dallas won’t have to sign both of these guys, either. The whole idea here would be to maximize the opportunity to find a good player for the team. With cap space as an extremely important commodity for the Mavs this summer, it would be important that the guys picked are not money wasted. Having another potential two-way contract slot will be important too.

The 2019 NBA Draft is still a few weeks away, but it is necessary to work through all of the Mavs potential options going forward. The option to trade back in the second round is definitely one I am sure the front office is exploring.