Mavericks' shooting guard of the future could fall into their lap in the NBA Draft

The Dallas Mavericks' biggest pre-draft hole to fill is arguably at shooting guard. While Max Christie started 68 games at the two last season, his spot as the team's long-term starter is still to be determined. Fortunately for Dallas, the draft's second-best shooting guard is widely expected to still be available when the Mavericks are on the clock at No. 9 in the NBA Draft.

Why Brayden Burries is the perfect fit for the Mavericks at No. 9

That's Brayden Burries, who went 10th in Bleacher Report's latest mock draft, 11th in CBS Sports', ninth in ESPN's, and 14th in Yahoo's. Thus, it's more than likely he'll still be available by the time the Mavericks are on the clock. While he fills a position of need, he's also a tantalizing prospect.

Burries was the leading scorer on a Final Four team as a freshman. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor and 39.1 percent from beyond the arc. And amid Arizona's NCAA Tournament run, Burries raised his averages to 16.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest.

He's tantalizing as a prospect, but he also has the proven production to back it up. What makes him such a snug fit in Dallas' backcourt, though, is his combination of size and physicality. Burries isn't the biggest two-guard, measuring a tick under 6-foot-4, but he has a 6-foot-6 wingspan and weighed 215 pounds at the combine. Moreover, he ranked fourth among all participants in both standing vertical and lane agility, showcasing his elite athleticism.

How Burries would upgrade the Mavericks' starting lineup

Burries would slide right in between Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg at the two, giving Dallas a reliable offensive weapon who can handle the ball, score off the bounce and the catch, all while defending the opposing team's best perimeter player.

Christie is a more-than-capable spot-up marksman who hit 40.4 percent of his 5.8 3-point attempts per game this past season, but his offensive skill set is more limited, and he's an average defender at best. Furthermore, while Christie's measurements are similar to Burries', his frame is much slighter, and he tested as a far less explosive athlete at the 2022 combine.

Consequently, if Burries' three-point accuracy carries over from Arizona to the NBA, it's easy to envision him turning into a better fit in the Mavericks' starting lineup than Christie. Of course, there's no guarantee, especially considering Christie was one of the NBA's better shooters this past season, but a two-way shooting guard would certainly go a long way toward improving Dallas as a whole.

All things considered, while adding a point guard of the future or a more durable center might be in the Mavericks' best long-term interest, a starting-caliber shooting guard is their most pressing immediate need. And Burries, who is widely viewed as the draft's second-best two-guard behind only Darryn Peterson, is all but certain to still be available at No. 9.

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