Will the Mavericks trade their 2020 first round pick on draft night?
By Tyler Watts
The Dallas Mavericks plan on contending for the foreseeable future. Will they try to package their first round pick for a win-now asset on draft night?
The Dallas Mavericks are inching closer to clinching a playoff spot every night. They are ten games up on the Portland Trail Blazers which currently sit ninth in the Western Conference. With only 23 contests remaining, it would take a massive collapse for them to miss the postseason.
The Mavericks will qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2016. They are pushing for homecourt in the first round down the stretch. Dallas is just 2.5 games behind the Rockets for fourth.
They plan on being in the postseason for the next decade-plus as they build around Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. Doncic is already a superstar at 20 and could become the league’s best player in a few seasons. Porzingis is the perfect complement to Luka.
There is still a lot of basketball left this season, but it is never too early to start looking ahead to the NBA draft. It is one of the most exciting nights on the calendar. Every team is hopeful about the season ahead and selecting that difference-making player. Fans also usually get a few juicy trades on draft night that shake up the league.
The Mavs have their first round pick in 2020. They also hold the Warriors second round selection that figures to be in the low 30s. Do they decide to move those picks for players more equipped to help them win now?
Next: Trade coming?