Should Dallas Mavericks trade or keep their 2023 1st round draft pick?

The Dallas Mavericks threw away their chance at the Play-In Tournament to try to keep their first-round draft pick. They owe the selection to the Knicks if it falls outside the top ten to complete the original Kristaps Porzingis trade. Dallas finished with the tenth-worst, but only after tanking away their final two games, which caused the NBA to open an investigation.

The Mavericks are not guaranteed to keep their selection. They must stay in the top ten after the draft lottery on May 16. Dallas has a three percent shot at winning the number one pick and a 79.8 percent chance of retaining their selection. The Knicks still walk away with the pick one out of every five times.

The Mavs must keep their draft pick and significantly improve their roster around Luka Doncic. There are already worries after a rough season and changes must be made. Can Dallas wait for a draft pick to blossom? Will the pressure force the Mavericks to trade their 2023 first-round pick if falls inside the top ten? Should they? Here is a look at both sides of the argument before reaching a verdict on what the franchise should do on draft night.

Why Dallas Mavericks should keep their 2023 first-round draft pick

Having a young talent on a rookie scale contract is massive. First, there is added potential and upside. Everybody knows what a ten-year NBA veteran is going to do, but some top ten picks turn into superstars and others flame out of the league by the end of their rookie contract. There is plenty of risk, but the reward could be massive.

Having a talented piece that helps a team win on a cheap contract is a significant advantage, especially with the new CBA further punishing the highest spending teams. Dallas could draft one in the top ten on June 22.

If the Mavericks trust their ability to develop the pick, his value will be higher after he blossoms into an All-Star or high-level role player. Was Mikal Bridges more valuable as the tenth pick in 2018 or when he was traded as the headliner of the package for Kevin Durant in February?

The Dallas Mavericks desperately need positive assets to keep improving their roster. A top-ten pick will have trade value now and in the future. It also could blossom into a star or high-level role player that the Mavs desperately need if they are going to build a title contender around Luka Doncic before it is too late.