Mavericks will get an early test of their risky Morez Johnson Jr. draft decision

The NBA Summer League tips off in less than two weeks, with the Dallas Mavericks taking on the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas on July 9 in their first game. Coincidentally, Dallas will get its first glimpse of No. 9 overall pick Morez Johnson Jr., matching up against his former Michigan teammate, Yaxel Lendeborg, whom the Warriors selected two picks later at No. 11.

While there isn't necessarily a "Dallas should have drafted Lendeborg over Johnson" crowd (mainly because few predicted the Mavericks to take Johnson at No. 9 in the first place), the Summer League opener will provide an intriguing early comparison between the two former Michigan teammates. Even more so because both players embody exactly what new team president Masai Ujiri looks for in a prospect.

Mavs' Summer League opener sets stage for Johnson Jr. vs Lendeborg

Ujiri loves long, rangy, athletic forwards, and both Johnson and Lendeborg fit that mold.

Johnson is more of an interior-oriented player, but he can also step out on the perimeter offensively and defensively. Lendeborg, meanwhile, is the more versatile forward, capable of initiating the offense in a pinch while still protecting the rim. All signs point to Ujiri valuing both prospects highly, but he ultimately chose Johnson, likely because of his upside, given he's just 20 years old compared to Lendeborg being 23.

But there's another layer to this Summer League opener, and it's perhaps the most intriguing one. Dusty May, who coached both Johnson and Lendeborg at Michigan, is now, of course, the Mavericks' head coach. That means Dallas fans will get an early look at how much May's influence factored into the decision, considering he was more than likely a major catalyst in the Mavericks selecting Johnson over not only Lendeborg, but other former Wolverines like 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara as well.

May's influence and Ujiri's preferred archetype also won out over Dallas' biggest need: guards, particularly sharpshooting guards. Rather than selecting commonly mocked-to-Dallas Arizona guard Brayden Burries, who went No. 10 to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Mavericks doubled down on size and positional versatility. Summer League won't settle that debate, but it will provide an early glimpse into whether Dallas prioritized the right traits over the more obvious positional need.

They needed depth behind Kyrie Irving badly for next season, and they rolled the dice by selecting a position that already has good depth.

Summer League opens early evaluation of Mavericks’ draft decision

Even beyond the many underlying storylines, this Mavericks vs. Warriors matchup is exciting in its own right. Dallas fans will get to watch the team play basketball for the first time in three months while also getting their first look at Johnson and several other rookies.

Johnson vs. Lendeborg is just the biggest storyline. Dallas fans will get an early glimpse of whether Johnson's interior-oriented game projects better on the Mavericks' roster than Lendeborg's more versatile skill set. As mentioned, Dallas desperately needed shooting and additional playmaking, which are two areas Johnson doesn't currently provide, while Lendeborg does. This is one of the many reasons that this was a risky selection for Dallas.

It's an early, or rather immediate, litmus test for one of the Mavericks' riskier draft decisions in recent memory. Johnson is an outstanding prospect in his own right. He's an elite athlete, a physical specimen, and already exceptional at what he does. But with Lendeborg's versatile game set to be on the opposition, Dallas won't have to wait long to see why this draft debate isn't going away anytime soon.

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