Mavericks may be forced to explore a draft-night trade after lottery setback

With the Dallas Mavericks finishing ninth in the NBA Draft Lottery yesterday, their chances of drafting the top-tier guard of their choice dropped significantly. Finding backcourt help is one of their biggest needs after rolling with Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard as their point guard duo last season while Kyrie Irving was sidelined, and their desperation for depth here could force them into a draft-night trade.

Dallas is going to have plenty of options at No. 9, but none of them may be their top option. This is why they could consider trading down for a different guard if their favorite options are off the board.

Mavericks' best path forward could be to trade down

Ideally, the Mavericks could draft one of Keaton Wagler, Kingston Flemings, or Mikel Brown Jr. as their point guard of the future. Each of these players can play on or off the ball, allowing them to fit with Irving when he's on the floor, but also lead the offense when he's on the bench. This projects to be the best long-term plan, given they'd learn from Irving before later taking the reins.

These three guards have nice combinations of size and off-ball ability, but after them, their options dip. There's a real chance they're all three off the board when Dallas is on the clock, and this range of the draft is when players like Nate Ament, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Aday Mara will likely be selected. If that's the case, the Mavericks should consider trading back and targeting someone like Labaron Philon Jr. or Brayden Burries.

Philon Jr. seems far more likely to fall than Burries at this point in the pre-draft process, and he may be the perfect trade-down candidate for Dallas. Standing at 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-6 wingspan, he has the frame to play on and off the ball, and he had a stellar sophomore year at the University of Alabama.

The second-year guard averaged 22.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game with 50.1/39.9/79.8 shooting splits. His development from his freshman to sophomore seasons was undeniable, and his game fits exactly what the Mavs need.

Philon Jr. brings what Dallas is missing

His handle, three-level scoring, and playmaking would make him a great fit to learn behind Irving, as his scoring off the bounce quietly resembles the 34-year-old guard. Philon Jr. has a knack for using his advanced ball handling to get to his spots from anywhere on the court, and he can hit tough jumpers from long range or get into the lane and utilize his floater.

He has an advanced bag for a guard who has a chance to fall outside of the top 10 or even the lottery, and the Mavericks trading down to get him could turn out to be one of the best moves of the draft if they explore this possibility. They could recoup assets to build around Cooper Flagg while also drafting one of the best guards in the draft, making teams regret ever passing up on him.

Philon Jr.'s upside makes him someone that Mavs fans should be keeping an eye on during the pre-draft process, and Dallas is easily one of the best places he could land. The proof is in the pudding, and with talent evaluators putting him outside of the top five guards in the draft, the Mavericks could take advantage of this by trading down and making anyone who doubted him eat their words.

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