Mavericks NBA Draft: Top 5 prospect falls to Mavs in latest mock

The Dallas Mavericks are in one of the more interesting spots in the NBA. With Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving at the helm, they need to focus on putting a competitive roster around them this offseason.

Missing the Play-In Tournament this past year was a complete disaster and an unacceptable result with the guys they had on the roster. They cannot afford to repeat that same failure next season.

Luckily for them, they have some solid trade assets to work with, one of which being the 10th overall pick in the upcoming 2023 NBA Draft, which is supposed to be loaded with talent.

While it has been widely rumored that Dallas will trade the selection, some of the players available to them at 10 could make for solid fits on the current Mavericks roster.

Mavericks NBA Draft: Houston's Jarace Walker falls to Mavs in latest mock

In A Royal Pain’s latest NBA mock draft, Logan Struck has one of the top prospects in the draft, Houston’s Jarace Walker, falling to the Mavericks at pick 10.

Most mock drafts being produced have Walker going anywhere from the fifth pick to the eighth pick, with the most common landing spots being the Detroit Pistons at five and the Indiana Pacers at seven.

If Walker were to fall to the 10th pick, he could be a perfect pick-up for the Mavericks, and it might be worth it for them to select him rather than trade the pick.

The 19-year-old forward stands at 6-foot-7 and has a 7-foot-3 wingspan. He’s a quality two-way player, which is the exact type of guy the Mavericks should be looking to add this summer.

Walker has a huge, bulky frame, helping him on the defensive side of the ball, where he has a ton of potential. For a Mavericks squad that needs help on defense, Walker would fit in beautifully.

He possesses plenty of versatility, too, as his strength and defensive presence could allow him to play anywhere from the three to the small-ball five in the NBA, which would help out Dallas on both ends.

His pick-n-roll potential would make him an ideal fit next to Doncic and Irving, and while he’s not a great three-point shooter, his athleticism makes up for it.

Depending on his development, Walker could be a perfect member of the Mavericks' starting lineup, though Jason Kidd may not be capable of throwing him in there right away.

With Walker’s defensive versatility and athleticism, a starting lineup of Doncic, Irving, Josh Green, Walker, and Maxi Kleber could give opponents fits on both ends of the court.

Trading the pick is likely still Dallas’ top priority, but if Walker were to fall to them at 10, they might have to consider making the pick.