Grade the Trade: Mavericks grab new center and defensive specialist

The Dallas Mavericks entered the 2023 NBA Draft with the 10th overall pick. They were expected to trade back, and they did exactly that.

They traded the No. 10 pick and Davis Bertans to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the No. 12 pick and a TPE. They drafted Dereck Lively II with the 12th pick to add depth to their center rotation, but they weren't done there.

Dallas then traded the TPE to the Sacramento Kings for the No. 24 pick and Richaun Holmes. Sacramento then selected Olivier-Maxence Prosper for the Mavs. The Mavericks flipped a TPE for two players that will be in the Mavericks' rotation next season.

It was a huge steal, and Dallas gained that TPE just for dealing Bertans, as they didn't take a player back in the trade with OKC.

This was one of the biggest draft nights in recent memory for the Mavericks as they added defense and depth on the wing. They got better without giving up much, and they still have free agency on the way.

This move helped both teams as the Kings will look to take the next step to make deeper playoff runs while the Mavericks will look to return to the playoffs and finish building a solid roster around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Neither team is in a rush to win a title, and they have bright futures ahead of them.

Here we grade the trade for both teams and discuss how each team got better.