Building a Mavericks “dream team” if they picked right in every NBA Draft

In just a few weeks, the Dallas Mavericks will make the 10th selection in the 2023 NBA Draft. There have been some rumblings that they could trade the pick, but keeping it would also be a solid strategy.

There could be some impactful players available by pick 10, and every season, it seems as though a few elite prospects slip through the cracks and fall out of the top few picks.

Just look at the 2022 NBA Draft. Guys like Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (pick 12) and Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (pick 22) fell in the draft. Both finished top three in Rookie of the Year voting.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks also got a solid player in last year’s draft, trading into the event and selecting guard Jaden Hardy with the 37th pick.

Hardy looks like he could turn into a solid player, but the Mavericks haven’t always hit on their draft picks. Picks such as Justin Anderson (21st overall) in 2015 and Tyrell Terry (pick 31) ended up being flops.

Constructing a Mavericks “dream team” if they nailed every NBA Draft

Obviously, it’s not easy to hit on picks, especially late in the draft. But what if the Mavericks were perfect? What if they managed to pick the correct player at every single draft position?

Why not take a look at what Dallas could look like if they hit on every single pick they’ve made over the last decade?

For the purpose of this exercise, we’re only going to look at players who went in the general range that the Mavericks were selecting. (For example, the Mavericks wouldn’t have magically known to take Nikola Jokic in the first round.)

So, with all that in mind, let’s look at the Mavericks’ “dream team” if they had hit on all of their draft picks. (Also, check out the original inspiration for this idea from Cal Durrett of Air Alamo.)

Disclaimer: We’ll be using the draft selections the Mavericks actually ended up with. For example, in 2013, they made a trade with the Boston Celtics, giving up 13th pick and getting back the 16th pick. Giannis Antetokounpmo went 15th, but since the Mavericks traded back, they can’t pick him for the dream team. We won’t rewrite the history of trades. Just the history of the picks.

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