Bleacher Report's Morez Johnson Jr. prediction is a harsh reality check for Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks drafted Morez Johnson Jr. with the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft earlier this summer, and this decision came with its fair share of backlash. Some fans wondered whether Dallas should've taken a guard instead, and Johnson Jr. at nine seemed like a bit of a reach based on where many of the mock drafts had him getting selected.

Despite this, most Mavs fans have come around on him. His impact on winning, defense, rebounding, and hustle makes him someone who will be a great fit alongside Cooper Flagg, and he'll be a strong culture fit on this revamped roster.

Bleacher Report doesn't think that Johnson Jr. will play much

Even with all of these things going Johnson Jr.'s way, some more doubt is beginning to creep in about his role in Dallas. Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley wrote an article titled "Bold Predictions for Every NBA Team's Best New Weapon," and rather than hyping up Johnson Jr. and his new home on the Mavericks, he doesn't believe that the former Michigan Wolverine will have a big role as a rookie.

Buckley's prediction about Johnson Jr. was that he "plays the fewest minutes—by a wide margin—of the top 10 picks." The other top 10 picks include AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings, and Brayden Burries.

This is a harsh reality check for Dallas, as they drafted a player who doesn't have a clear role waiting for him in the rotation. The same couldn't be said if they drafted a point guard.

Why Buckley's prediction could actually come true

Johnson Jr. playing fewer minutes than all of these players would be disappointing, as he has the best shot of being a foundational piece within Dallas' young core with Flagg, but Buckley does have a point.

The main reason that he doubts Johnson Jr.'s initial role is the team's frontcourt depth. The Mavs already have Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II playing center along with P.J. Washington, Zaccharie Risacher, Santi Aldama, Naji Marshall, and Flagg at the forward spots.

This doesn't mean that Johnson Jr. won't play at all, but it does mean that he's going to have to fight for minutes. Dallas has plenty of depth at power forward and center, Johnson Jr.'s primary positions, and this raises the question of if the Mavs made the right decision.

Should Dallas have taken a guard?

Dallas had a clear hole at point guard entering the NBA Draft, and rather than addressing this hole with their prized lottery pick, they decided to draft a player who was somewhat redundant with the players they already had. Brayden Burries, the player who was drafted immediately after Johnson Jr., dazzled in Summer League.

Labaron Philon Jr. was also a standout performer in Las Vegas.

A new point guard would've filled a major area of need for the Mavericks, and there's a real chance that Johnson Jr. is behind some of these centers and forwards in the rotation to begin the season. He still has a chance to carve out a role for himself, but as Buckley said, it's not going to be a clear path.

The argument of whether the Mavs should've taken a guard over Johnson Jr. will become even more pressing if he struggles as a rookie, and if he doesn't play heavy minutes right away, some Mavericks fans are going to be frustrated.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow