Nico Harrison's calculated move brings Mavericks' dream draft target into focus

When the Dallas Mavericks lost Luka Doncic in a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 1, fans thought the team would never bounce back. They had just traded their franchise cornerstone to the Lakers for Anthony Davis in the blink of an eye, and fans thought that Dallas was going to be doomed for years to come. But all of that changed last week when the Mavs won the NBA Draft Lottery, and they'll have the chance to draft Cooper Flagg in next month's draft.

Flagg was the team's one shot at redeeming themselves from the Doncic trade, and while he is the one player who Mavericks fans have been dreaming about for weeks, they could be interested in taking another player later in the first round who would be another extremely exciting youngster to build around in Walter Clayton Jr. from the University of Florida.

Clayton Jr. worked out during Klutch Pro Day in Los Angeles, and many Mavericks higher-ups were in attendance. Those who watched include Nico Harrison, Anthony Davis, Jason Kidd, Sean Sweeney, Jared Dudley, Dereck Lively II, and Michael Finley, and that many Mavericks staffers being in attendance shows that they are doing their due diligence, even though they currently only have one first-round pick (the first overall pick that will be used to take Flagg).

Mavericks should target Clayton Jr. to fix their most obvious flaw

Harrison is always looking for ways to make the roster better, and depending on what he thinks of Clayton Jr.'s game and his potential fit on the Mavericks, he could be a player that he considers trading back into the first round for.

Dallas traded back into the first round of the draft in 2023 to select Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and Harrison has proved multiple times in his career that he isn't afraid to go out of his way for players he likes.

Last season at Florida, Clayton Jr. averaged 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from downtown. Clayton Jr. proved that he is NBA-ready all season long, with him putting his name on the map during the NCAA Tournament. Clayon Jr. helped lead the Gators to a National Championship, and his elite shotmaking in the clutch proved that he has what it takes to be a high-level guard in the league.

At the end of the day, he's a winner, and you can't go wrong with players like that in today's NBA.

With Kyrie Irving set to be out for multiple months to start the season as he recovers from his ACL tear, it's clear that Dallas needs more guard help. It has already been rumored that backcourt depth is one of their priorities, and considering they need someone who can hold down the fort until Irving returns while also being able to play alongside him, Clayton Jr. may be their guy.

He got tremendous experience at the collegiate level, as he played four seasons at Iona and Florida, and while 22 years old is on the older side for a rookie, it should work in his favor when it comes to his development. Clayton Jr. is ready to take the next step in his career, and he'd be a dream fit in Dallas.

His ability to drill threes off the catch and off the dribble is remarkable, and he can create his own shot at any time. Whether he is pulling up from downtown off a screen or using his smooth handle to get all the way to the rim, Clayton Jr. has exactly what you want in a combo guard.

Outside of scoring, Clayton Jr. is a decent playmaker and can run the show when needed. His best fit at the beginning of his NBA career will be as a two guard, but as time goes on, he should only become more comfortable making decisions. His passing in the half court was encouraging at times as well, and he showed good chemistry with his bigs.

Standing at 6-foot-3, Clayton Jr. may be a bit undersized for a shooting guard, but that wouldn't matter in Dallas. He would have one of the best defensive frontcourts in the NBA behind him with Anthony Davis, Flagg, and Dereck Lively II, and his individual defense is a lot better than he is given credit for. Clayton Jr. showed the world that he can be a solid defender in big moments during the National Championship against Houston, and with the way Dallas's roster is constructed, they don't need him to be elite on that end by any means. They just need more scoring, and that's exactly what he brings.

He and Irving's shotmaking and pure shooting would help Dallas get back on track in those departments, and his potential fit on the Mavericks can't get overlooked.

Trading back into the first round may seem unlikely given Dallas' trade assets and goals, but it's definitely not impossible. Harrison and the Mavericks showing up to Klutch's Pro Day shows that they are doing their homework, and someone like Clayton Jr. would be a phenomenal addition to their young core that features Lively II and Flagg.