Mavericks' best draft fit emerged at the NBA Combine

After last week's NBA Combine, Keaton Wagler is looking like the best fit for the Dallas Mavericks among the point guard prospects poised to be selected in the lottery. Some Mavericks fans have fallen in love with Mikel Brown Jr.'s game, and Darius Acuff Jr. is going to be a star, but Wagler's skillset would be a perfect fit for Dallas now and in the future. The same can't be said about many of the other hyped guards.

Keaton Wagler shined where many expected him to struggle

The combine proved this, as Wagler posted a 33-inch no-step vertical jump. His athleticism was one of his biggest knocks heading into the pre-draft process, but his leaping ability shows that he is no shabby athlete. His 33-inch vertical was only a half inch less than Brown Jr. and Kingston Flemings, with both players praised as exceptional athletes before the combine.

Wagler's better-than-expected athleticism should help him project to be a solid defender as well, as he has the size to occasionally guard up if needed. Measuring in at 6-foot-5 barefoot, he has the size to defend either guard spot as well as some thinner wings.

This is important, given that Kyrie Irving is an undersized point guard, and Wagler's positional size in the backcourt would pair well with Irving. Size is becoming more and more important for backcourt players, and Dallas would never have to worry about this if they draft Wagler.

On top of his size and vertical, Wagler shined while shooting off the dribble as well.

He went 25-30 in this drill, outperforming the likes of Acuff Jr. and Darryn Peterson. Wagler is an elite shooter off the dribble, and while the size and leaping would help him in Dallas right now, his shooting off the bounce is what makes his future fit intriguing.

Wagler's long-term fit in Dallas is easy to envision

Wagler needs to be deadly off the dribble if he wants to be the Mavericks' point guard of the future, and he proved he could be while in Chicago at the combine. He can pull up from anywhere on the floor, and this type of shooting will force defenses to defend him much more tightly, leaving plenty of room for Cooper Flagg to operate inside.

His role in Dallas would shift into being much more ball-dominant once Irving is gone, and he has the skills to make this transition go smoothly. We saw this last season from Wagler after he took over the point guard duties for Kylan Boswell when he got injured, and he didn't look back after this moment. He remained the team's point guard for the rest of the season after playing off-ball to begin, showing that he can play either guard spot.

The Mavs need this kind of versatility as they begin the Flagg era, and if Wagler falls to No. 9, he'd be a no-brainer pick for the Mavericks.

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