Mavericks’ lottery slide may have created the perfect scenario for Masai Ujiri

A year after landing the No. 1 overall pick in a draft headlined by a generational prospect, the Dallas Mavericks slid from No. 8 to No. 9 in this year’s lottery. While the drop wasn’t drastic, it may still prove significant.

Many of the draft’s top guard prospects could be off the board by the time Dallas is on the clock with the ninth pick. But for new team president Masai Ujiri, the board may actually be falling perfectly into place. His favorite archetypes, long players who can defend and bring versatility, should still be widely available.

Throughout the latter part of the NBA season, as the NCAA season reshaped much of the draft landscape, guard prospects steadily climbed boards and appeared firmly locked into the 5-to-8 range behind the consensus top four. For a while, that seemed ideal for the Dallas Mavericks, whose biggest need appeared to be a lead ball handler.

Mavericks' slide to No. 9 changes guard options

Any of Darius Acuff Jr., Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, or Keaton Wagler once felt like logical targets for the Mavericks. Each guard fit a clear organizational need: a lead ball handler capable of complementing Cooper Flagg both on and off the ball. More importantly, every prospect brought a skill set versatile enough to thrive in either backcourt role.

Acuff Jr. projects as a dynamic scorer who, despite lacking ideal size, is a lights-out 3-point shooter capable of thriving in a spot-up role. Brown Jr., a 6-foot-5 combo guard, uses his downhill ability to create opportunities for teammates.

Flemings profiles as the ideal two-way guard, capable of carrying an offensive workload while defending opposing lead guards at a high level. Meanwhile, Wagler offers another bigger combo-guard option, with the ability to play on-ball as a pick-and-roll maestro and off, as a spot-up marksman.

Yet, despite how enticing those fits may have been, the Mavericks’ slide to No. 9 likely takes most of those guards off the board. While Alabama's LaBaron Philon should still be available, he has generally been projected in the 10-to-14 range rather than firmly inside the top 10.

Why Masai Ujiri may favor wings over guards at No. 9

That leaves the trio of Nate Ament, Brayden Burries, and Yaxel Lendeborg — three players who embody the exact archetype Ujiri has historically valued.

Ament is a 6-foot-10 forward with rare length and fluid mobility, a combination that points to significant long-term upside. He has the versatility to play both forward spots and to score at multiple levels, and he's still in the early stages of his development. He won’t turn 20 until December 10.

Burries isn’t the long, rangy athlete Ujiri typically covets, but his rugged defense and explosive athleticism make him an intriguing exception. More importantly, his fundamentally sound game and physical tools project well as a guard-wing hybrid, which is the type of connective piece that could fit seamlessly between Flagg and Kyrie Irving.

Lendeborg profiles as the kind of versatile forward Ujiri has historically valued. At 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds, he can create on the ball, operate off it, and defend at a high level. In many ways, he blends traits reminiscent of both Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam. The primary concern is age. He’ll be 24 by the start of the season, which tempers how much developmental upside teams can project, despite his NBA-ready frame and skill set.

Nonetheless, these three wings embody the archetype Ujiri has long prioritized: players who bring real offensive versatility while projecting as impact defenders on the wing. Dallas' drop to No. 9 may take players like Acuff Jr. or Wagler out of reach, but options like Ament or Lendeborg still fit seamlessly into what Dallas should value under new leadership.

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