Mavericks’ trade-up rumors prove worthless after Labaron Philon Jr.'s draft-day slide

Talk of the Dallas Mavericks trading up from No. 30 in the NBA Draft ran rampant in the days leading up to the event. Dallas, with limited draft capital between now and 2031, knew it needed to make a move, yet one of the most obvious opportunities never materialized. Amid Labaron Philon Jr.’s draft-day slide, the Mavericks stood pat as he fell all the way to No. 22.

Mavs miss opportunity as LaBaron Philon Jr. falls to No. 22 in NBA Draft

Days before the draft, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Dallas was exploring trade scenarios, even explicitly stating a move up from No. 30 (subscription required). “The Mavericks, sources say, are also keen on trying to move up from No. 30,” Fischer noted.

Yet, with a premier draft prospect on the board, Dallas did nothing! Philon Jr. came in at No. 18 on ESPN’s final big board, No. 14 on Bleacher Report and The Ringer, and No. 12 on Yahoo Sports.

Somehow, someway, Philon Jr. still landed at No. 22 with the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, Philadelphia gets a player coming off an impressive season at Alabama, where he averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.5 three-pointers per game while leading the Crimson Tide to 25 wins and a Sweet 16 appearance.

It’s certainly a blunder for Dallas (and even for plenty of teams), but it becomes even more glaring after the Mavericks made their selection at No. 9, drafting Michigan forward/center Morez Johnson Jr.

How Johnson Jr. pick leaves Dallas searching for backcourt help

While Johnson Jr. is a solid prospect who impressed at the NBA Combine, he was arguably the Wolverines’ third-best player last season, averaging 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. He’s physically impressive and profiles as a strong connective piece, but he isn’t especially tantalizing as an offensive prospect after transferring from Illinois for a larger role and ultimately projecting more as a quality rotation player than a high-end starter.

Philon Jr. looked like the ideal high-risk, high-reward prospect Dallas could have targeted alongside the “safer” selection of Johnson Jr. But the Mavericks stood pat.

As a result, Dallas still has a clear hole in its backcourt. It was a glaring issue this past season, and despite talk of targeting high-profile guards such as Keaton Wagler or Brayden Burries, the Mavericks ultimately did not address it in the draft.

Philon Jr. could have easily been that guy — a high-scoring, do-it-all offensive guard who might have been viewed as Kyrie Irving’s long-term protégé. Instead, rather than being proactive and exploring a trade up the board to halt his draft-day slide, the Mavericks stood pat.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow