Should the Dallas Mavericks tank and try to keep their 1st round draft pick?

Cons of Dallas Mavericks tanking to keep their 1st round pick

Adding a top-ten selection to pair with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving sounds enticing, but what if the pick heads to New York anyways? Or worse what if it costs the Mavs one or both of their superstars?

Dallas currently has the 11th-worst record in the NBA, so they would have to move up into the top four to keep their pick. The current odds, according to Tankathon, put that at a 7.2 percent chance of happening. The standings are jumbled in the race of the Play-In Tournament and the race to the bottom. Still, Dallas is three full games back of the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards with eight to go. That is a massive gap to close.

At best, the Mavericks could finish with the ninth-worst record, which gives them a 96.3 percent chance of keeping their pick. It drops to 80.3 percent if they finish with the tenth-worst. The odds would be strong, but it is never a lock and others will be looking to lose their games down the stretch too.

Luka’s frustration was evident after the Mavs lost to the Hornets on March 24. Does Dallas want to tank and push their 24-year-old superstar closer to the edge? He is clearly not happy right now, and Dallas needs to do everything possible to keep him. Having a top-ten pick means nothing if Doncic is not on the roster to lead it.

The Mavs gave up three draft picks and two starters to acquire Kyrie Irving at the trade deadline. They are pot committed to keeping him, but he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. If Dallas misses the postseason entirely, Irving is likely to walk. That would leave the Mavericks again searching for a second star with virtually zero avenues to acquiring one.

What should the Dallas Mavericks do over their final eight games?