Rumors: Dallas Mavericks denied when trying to trade for once-hyped 7-foot-2 center

Noah Weber

Orlando Magic v Brooklyn Nets / Mike Stobe/GettyImages

The Dallas Mavericks had a great 2023 NBA Draft night that was filled with moves.

The first move was the Mavs trading Davis Bertans and the 10th overall pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the 12th pick and a traded player exception. With the 12th pick, they selected Dereck Lively II to bolster their depth at center. The Maverick's biggest need of the offseason was "a center that can protect the rim," according to Mark Cuban, and they got one quickly.

Dallas then used the traded player exception in a trade with the Sacramento Kings. The Kings gave them Richaun Holmes and the No. 24 pick in exchange for the traded player exception. The Mavs used the 24th pick on Olivier-Maxence Prosper.

Rumors: Dallas Mavericks denied when trying to trade for once-hyped 7-foot-2 center

They walked away with a wing and two centers, which gave them great front court depth, but the Mavs almost made another move that would have given them even more forward depth.

On Wednesday morning, Marc Stein reported that (subscription required) the Mavericks made an offer on draft night that included Dallas receiving Bol Bol and the No. 36 overall pick. This trade was centered around Dallas trading back into the draft, but adding a 7-foot-2, 23-year-old center would be nice as well.

Bol averaged 9.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game for the Magic last season. He would have been a rotation piece for the Mavs next season and given them one of the most unique 7-foot-2 players ever. Bol can score off the dribble against slower bigs and is a good lob threat. Bol is a good scorer in transition and uses the euro step often. He moves well for his size and is a crafty finisher around the bucket.

Bol's offensive game is improving, but his rim protection is established and still on the rise. He has a 7-foot-7 wingspan that he uses to block shots and be a disruptor. Bol's wingspan and movement allow him to block shots that no one else in the league could block.

Bol is also nowhere close to his ceiling and was showing flashes that he could improve to be a solid starter in the NBA.

The Magic denied Dallas' trade offer, but it would have been interesting to see who the Mavs would have taken with the No. 36 pick, along with seeing Bol play next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. We'll have you covered with all the news and rumors surrounding the Mavs, so stay tuned.

Noah Weber

Noah Weber is the Site Expert for The Smoking Cuban, covering the Dallas Mavericks as a credentialed media member since the 2022-23 season. With a Bachelor of Science in Sports Media from Oklahoma State University, Noah has worked in sports journalism since 2019. While he's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma State Cowboys, he has now established himself as a go-to voice for Mavericks coverage. Noah's expertise includes in-depth game analysis, social media content creation, and offering unique perspectives through his reporting. His work has been featured on major platforms such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Overtime. During his time at Oklahoma State, Noah won first place in the Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association Awards for a show he co-produced. Outside of covering the Mavs, Noah enjoys working out, playing basketball and Spikeball, and spending quality time with friends and family.