Dallas Mavericks draft: Rumors on moving into the lottery

The Dallas Mavericks are putting all options on the table this offseason. They want to improve their roster and build a consistent championship contender around Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavs are making every other player available with the goal of finding a third star. It appears Dallas has other plans too.

The 2020 NBA Draft is set to take place on Nov. 18. The Mavericks hold the 18th and 31st overall picks with less than a week until draft night. They may not keep them, though.

Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated dropped a bunch of draft rumors on Thursday including one involving the Mavs. Let us take a closer look.

Dallas Mavericks have rumored interest in trading up in the draft

Woo reports his sources are saying the Mavs want to trade into the lottery. He notes the 18th overall pick is available on the trade market, but he has skepticism about how far Dallas can climb the draft board.

Presumably, the Mavericks would trade into the late-lottery to grab one of the top 3-and-D wing prospects in this draft. The best fits for Dallas are Devin Vassell, Aaron Nesmith, and Saddiq Bey, but all three players are likely to be gone by pick 18 overall. It will be interesting to see if the Mavs can move up, and what they decide to do with the selection if they do.

Other Dallas Mavericks draft notes

Callie Caplan also reported on Thursday that both Tyrese Maxey and Theo Maledon have virtually interviewed with the Mavs ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft. Maxey expressed interest in playing in his home city. Maledon is already thinking about his fit with Luka Doncic.

The 2020 NBA Draft is shaping up to be a night of intrigue. There is a ton of uncertainty throughout the 60 picks, which could lead to plenty of surprises. Expect the Dallas Mavericks to continue shopping their draft choices for the right trade. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next week. Stay tuned for all the latest.