Mavericks' predicted draft pick would finally solve their Kyrie Irving dilemma

With just weeks left before the NBA season ends, the Dallas Mavericks have signaled to the league they are ready to stay competitive and fight for a playoff spot. At the same time, it will be an uphill battle, if Dallas can make the play-in tournament they will no doubt become one of the most feared play-in caliber teams in recent memory.

Not only will Anthony Davis likely make his return to the floor later this week, but other names like Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford have shown progression in their track to returning to basketball action. If Dallas can get all three big men ready before the playoffs, the Mavericks could have a puncher's chance at upsetting a good team.

While the regular season is heating up, the Mavericks need to remind themselves that this offseason could be the most important in franchise history. Not only will Dallas need to ace their draft pick if they choose to keep it, but the Mavericks could be building around a new big three.

Despite the positive outlook, the Mavericks will have unlimited pressure on themselves come draft night where they could end up with the 13 overall pick according to The Athletics' latest mock draft (subscription required) (depending on how the end of the season shakes out). Not only does Sam Vecenie of The Athletic have the Mavs keeping their draft pick, but he also has Dallas picking up an absolute stud in the late lottery.

Mavericks predicted to draft Kyrie Irving's successor

When Kyrie Irving went down with a torn left ACL, many fans were not only left speechless but were left wondering when the 33-year-old superstar could return to the hardwood. The track record for aging stars coming off career-defining injuries and playing well is not a long list and not one the Mavericks should be certain Irving joins.

Despite all of this, Irving's timetable for return is still uncertain, some expect the former champion to make serious progress by the time the regular season tips off, while others expect Irving to remain sidelined through much of next season. With this in mind, the Mavericks may look to the draft to pick up a player to help carry the load until Irving returns.

Oklahoma Sooners freshman guard, Jeremiah Fears, is absolutely one of the best names available in this coming draft. In just his freshman year, Fears put his name on the map as a potential top-10 pick and led the Sooners to an impressive start to the season.

While Oklahoma's play would eventually taper off and result in a first-round exit as the ninth seed to the former champions in UConn, Fears' play never left scouts in doubt. The 18-year-old guard has been labeled one of the best offensive products of this coming draft and his stats don't lie.

While playing 34 games as a Sooner, Fears averaged 17.1 points per game and 4.1 assists per outing. While Fears lit up the score sheet, towards the end of the season his shooting numbers began to dip as the Sooners were struggling to stay competitive in one of college basketball's best conferences.

Despite this, Fears still managed to crack the SEC's All-Freshman squad and managed to join names like Tre Johnson of Texas.

On the offensive end, Fears is known as a pure three-level scorer. With elite ball-handling and tough finishes at the rim, Fears has the body and strength to compete at the NBA level when it comes to picking his spots on the floor.

Fears undoubtedly rely on his offensive ability as a pro but on the defensive end Fears has a lot to offer. In his first season playing college basketball, Fears managed to average 1.6 steals per game, which is an impressive stat for a freshman guard.

Fears still have lots to work on the defensive end and if he ends up dropping past the lottery it would likely be due to his questionable off-ball defense. Despite this, the Sooner guard has all the tools in the shed to be one of the best rookie scorers on a Dallas squad that is desperate for guard help. His shooting and three-level scoring allow him to play off the ball when needed, but his playmaking makes him someone who you can trust bringing up the rock as well. The Mavs would be able to trust Fears in either position, and he is someone they should consider taking if he is still available when they're on the clock.

The Mavericks have yet to signal what their next intentions are before the offseason arrives but drafting Fears may be a small stepping stone to winning fans back.