Mavericks fans must wait a few years to know if Morez Johnson Jr. was the right pick

The Dallas Mavericks' decision to draft Morez Johnson Jr. with the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has drawn mixed reviews. Some fans immediately called the pick a reach, while others called it a steal. It's not common for a pick to have this wide of a variety of opinions, but here we are ahead of the 2026-27 season with Johnson Jr.

Morez Johnson Jr. remains a polarizing pick

On one hand, Johnson Jr.'s energy, hustle, defense, rebounding, impact on winning, and relationship with new head coach Dusty May make him someone who could make a huge impact right away on a Mavericks team looking to build around Cooper Flagg. They now have two frontcourt cornerstones to build around with high character and an unquenchable thirst for winning.

On the other hand, Johnson Jr.'s best position is power forward, arguably the same as Flagg, and Dallas needs guard depth more than they do another big-bodied forward. He is also relatively unproven as a 3-point shooter, has a limited offensive game, and seemed like he would fall outside of the top 10 ahead of the draft.

Mavericks fans must be patient with him

There is certainly a case for both sides, but what Mavs fans must realize before the season begins is that the question of whether Johnson Jr. was the right pick won't be answered during his rookie season. Fans will have to wait to understand the bigger picture with Johnson Jr., and that's perfectly fine.

Johnson Jr. wasn't drafted for the present. While him playing rotation minutes as a rookie will be important for his development, this pick was a clear long-term play.

Johnson Jr. was drafted for the future

While Dallas definitely needed a guard more than it needed a forward, and this is a big reason that so many fans pushed for the team to select Brayden Burries, fit concerns aren't super prevalent for a team that's rebuilding. The biggest priority at the draft needed to be finding a player who fits with Flagg, and Johnson Jr. fits this bill.

Many of the team's current players may not be on the roster in a few years, and this is one of the main reasons that fans must wait to judge Johnson Jr. and his fit on the Mavericks. Dallas is slowly building a complementary core around Flagg, and Johnson Jr. fits well with him.

At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-3.5 wingspan, Johnson Jr. has the build to play power forward and center at the NBA level. A frontcourt core of Flagg and Johnson Jr. is an incredible start for the Mavericks and their new-look group, especially due to their defense, and Dallas has two foundational pieces to build around who play the right way and do all of the little things.

Why Johnson Jr.'s rookie season isn't make-or-break

While Johnson Jr. may be stuck behind some of the Mavs' other forwards to begin his career, this isn't a long-term problem. He has plenty of time to grow, prove that he belongs, and develop into a future starter next to Flagg.

Even if he doesn't play big minutes every night as a rookie, he still has the chance to begin to cement himself as a player Dallas wants to build around. After a few years of growth, then MFFLs can begin to judge if Johnson Jr. was the right selection at No. 9.

Regardless of what Johnson Jr.'s stats look like as a rookie, Mavs fans should remain patient as they formulate opinions about the young Michigan product. Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz are trying to build a future championship contender, not an immediate one, and Johnson Jr.'s development should be treated the same way.

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