5 players Mavericks could have drafted over last 10 years

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Dallas Mavericks Khris Middleton (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

4. Khris Middleton or Draymond Green- 2012 draft

Let us take a trip back further to 2012. The Mavericks were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Thunder featuring Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. This was one year removed from Dallas’ championship and subsequent tear down.

The Mavericks were looking to get younger, so they traded the 17th overall pick to Cleveland for selections 24, 33, and 34.

The Mavs used those picks on Jared Cunningham, Bernard James, and Jae Crowder. Cunningham and James barely played in the NBA. Crowder remains a fine role player and was a fantastic second round pick by Dallas.

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The Mavericks missed on picking three-time All-Star Draymond Green and two-time All-Star Khris Middleton, though. Dallas selected a wing and a big man too. They just chose the wrong ones.

Middleton played for Texas A&M. He had a middling final college season and took some time to blossom in the NBA.

Green was coming off a strong season at Michigan State, but fit questions drove down his draft stock.

Grabbing Green and Middleton with Crowder would have sent this draft class into Mavs lore. Instead, Dallas mostly missed and traded Crowder in the infamous Rajon Rondo deal in 2014.

Next: No. 3