Dallas Mavericks: Projected draft picks from around the web

ESPN Mock Draft – Talen Horton-Tucker

ESPN recently released their final mock draft prior to the big event, (subscription required). ESPN has the Mavs selecting Talen Horton-Tucker out of Iowa State. Tucker is a really talented basketball player, but he is not in great shape for the NBA. He is 6’4″, making him ideally a point guard, but plays more of a wing than anything.

That is something that shouldn’t worry whoever picks Horton-Tucker too much. This is because he has a 7’1″ wingspan, which is really something pretty amazing.

He is entering the draft after just one year of college ball and it is largely because he is a really smart and talented ball player. He is a pretty good defender and a pretty good scorer, not doing anything spectacularly but capable of doing everything well. I like this pick for the Mavs, but would prefer some other guys over him that will still likely be available.

The Athletic – Luka Samanic

A newer sports site that has taken the sporting world by storm is The Athletic (subscription required), and their mock draft consists of a ton of research and a lot of dedicated writers specifically for each team. The Athletic writers have the Mavs selecting Luka Samanic, a European prospect who has been playing ball in Slovenia.

The other Luka has shown a lot of promise while playing overseas and was one of very few foreign prospects who chose to participate in the draft combine. Generally, European players recognize that they are outclassed in athleticism by American prospects and that is what the combine tends to highlight.

It was a good decision for Samanic to attend the combine as he did really well and caught a lot of scout’s eyes. He has been moving up a lot of draft boards, but if he does fall to 37, the Mavericks should absolutely scoop him up. I only have a couple players ranked ahead of Samanic in my realistic 37th pick rankings.

Some of these options feel like really good fits for the Dallas Mavericks. Some may be a little forced. Either way, we can’t judge the pick until it is made. Stay tuned on The Smoking Cuban for