6 Sleeper targets for Mavericks in the 2023 NBA Draft a la Jaden Hardy

The Dallas Mavericks own the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. This is their first year drafting in the lottery since selecting Luka Doncic in 2018. Last year, the Mavericks entered the draft without a first or second-round pick due to previous trades.

In the 2022 NBA Draft, once the second round began, an intriguing prospect had yet to hear his name called. The Mavs acted quickly and traded back into the draft to select Jaden Hardy with the 37th overall pick. The Mavs dealt the Sacramento Kings two future second-rounders for the rights to Hardy.

Hardy averaged 17.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while playing for the G League Ignite. Hardy was a former 5-star prospect who ended his high school career as the 2nd ranked player in ESPN's Top 100.

Could the Dallas Mavericks trade into the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft in an attempt to snag another steal?

The Mavs saw an opportunity to draft a top-tier talent and did so. Luckily for Dallas, they reaped the benefits. Hardy turned into a solid contributor off the bench, averaging 8.8 points, shooting 43.4% from the floor and 40.4% from three - a far cry from shooting 35% from the field and 27% from three in the G-League. These percentages most likely led to his draft day slide.

Should the Mavs capitalize on another falling prospect as they did with Hardy a year ago? It seems like a good idea, as the Mavs roster consists of older players besides Doncic, Hardy, and recent first-round draft choice Josh Green. Adding another potential contributor on a rookie-scale salary would do wonders for the Mavs.

Let's take a look at a few prospects who could drop in this year's draft and a few prospects who might be better than their current projected draft slot. I have utilized NBADraft.net's "Big Board" to identify potential draft "fallers" and undervalued prospects.

Potential NBA Draft fallers the Dallas Mavericks should keep an eye on

If all goes accordingly, the Dallas Mavericks will be selecting a player, most likely a forward or center, with the 10th overall selection. However, it has been reported and well-documented that the Mavs may trade down in the first round. However, we'll pretend as if the Mavs hold the 10th pick and trade back into the draft to acquire one of the following prospects.

Amari Bailey

Following the "Jaden Hardy" route, the Mavs could look to select Amari Bailey, ranked 38th on the Big Board, in the second round. He finished his high school career at the prestigious Sierra Canyon as ESPN's fifth-ranked recruit.

Bailey put up modest numbers in his only season at UCLA, averaging 11 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. However, he showed real promise at the NBA Combine. He averaged 17.5 points and 7.5 assists between the NBA Combine scrimmages. His scoring and playmaking were on display, unlike when he played for the veteran-laden Bruins in college.

Dariq Whitehead

Another young prospect worth taking a shot on if he falls is Dariq Whitehead, ranked 32nd on the Big Board. He is a great athlete who looked like an elite prospect before his injury woes. Whitehead was the second-ranked recruit in the ESPN 100.

His lone season at Duke did not go as planned, as he only averaged 8.3 points and played just 20.6 minutes per game. Whitehead is a potential faller due to his lack of production and injury concerns, as it was reported that Whitehead would undergo a second surgery on his injured right foot.

Emoni Bates

Yet again, the trend continues. A high recruit who underperformed in the collegiate ranks, Emoni Bates might epitomize this instance the most. Bates reclassified to the 2021 class, where he was rated as the 3rd best prospect by ESPN.

He began his collegiate career at Memphis, where he only participated in 18 games and averaged 9.7 points. However, Bates was only 17 years old. He then transferred to Eastern Michigan and averaged 19.2 points. Bates has the potential to be a high-level shotmaker who would provide instant offense for any team.

Undervalued NBA Draft prospects the Dallas Mavericks should keep an eye on

James Nnaji

For an undervalued prospect, James Nnaji is about as "under the radar" as they come. He's an 18-year-old, 6-foot-10 prospect with an astounding 7-foot-7 wingspan. The Smoking Cuban's Jack Simone recently mentioned Nnaji as a player the Mavs could draft if they trade back.

Nnaji comes in at 43rd on the Big Board. His low ranking is largely attributed to his lack of production, as he only averaged 3.5 points and 2.1 rebounds in about 9.0 minutes of action per game for FC Barcelona this past year.

Nnaji would be a perfect fit for the Mavs and a nice project to take a swing on, as the Mavs have lacked a true interior defensive presence for some time now.

Terquavion Smith

Next, Terquavion Smith is a potential plug-and-play sparkplug off the bench, a la Jaden Hardy. Smith declared for the draft as a freshman in 2022 but ultimately withdrew his name, instead choosing to return to NC State for a second season.

Smith was projected to be a first-round pick in 2022. However, his 2022-23 season was similar to his freshman year, as his scoring and assists increased a tad, and his percentages dropped. Look for Smith to fall in the draft due to his stature, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard, and low shooting percentages. That being said, Smith can score the ball, and he would immediately provide a scoring punch off the Mavs bench.

Tristan Vukcevic

Finally, a relatively unknown Serbian big man who could easily outplay his draft position, Tristan Vukcevic. Vukcevic does not have any accolades or much statistical production. He was buried on the Real Madrid as a teenager and Partizan depth chart as a 20-year-old, but Vukcevic performed exceptionally against NBA hopefuls at the Combine.

Vukcevic put up 21 points while going 3-for-3 from distance in his only action at the Combine. Ranked 42nd on the Big Board, Vukcevic could truly go anywhere on draft night.

He has an abundance of skills for a seven-footer, just not much production to back it up. Look for a team like the Mavs to have Vukcevic high on their draft board and pounce if he drops deep into the second round.