Did the Dallas Mavericks make the "most underrated pickup of the summer?"

The Dallas Mavericks' 2023 NBA Draft night will likely be remembered as the night that they drafted Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper.

Dallas got tons younger and drafted a player that could be their center of the future in a few years in Lively II. But they also acquired another player that could make a huge impact on this team right away.

After trading Davis Bertans and pick No. 10 to the Oklahoma City Thunder for pick No. 12, the Mavs also acquired a traded player exception. They used the TPE to trade back into the first round to draft O-Max while also eating one of Sacramento's contracts.

Did the Dallas Mavericks make the "most underrated pickup of the summer?"

That contract just happened to be a player that could be the starting center for the Mavs on opening night.

That player is Richaun Holmes, and Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban thinks that he is going to be huge for Dallas, as he proclaimed that he thinks Holmes will be the "most underrated pickup of the summer" on a radio show on SiriusXM NBA Radio earlier this week.

Holmes hasn't been talked about much since the Mavs traded for him, but he could turn out to be vital to their success if the Mavs can't land a different starting center. He may be the best that they have and is definitely an upgrade from starting Dwight Powell.

Powell will hopefully be able to come off the bench next season, which should be a much better fit for him.

In four seasons in Sacramento, Holmes averaged 10.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. He never received the same type of minutes once the Kings traded for Domantas Sabonis, and a change of scenery should be good for the big man. Holmes has been praised for his push shot, and playing with players like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving should give him plenty of open looks in the paint.

Stay tuned to see how Holmes does in Dallas and if he can be a good starting center for the Mavs. Dallas has needed a new starting big for a while, and hopefully Holmes is a step in the right direction. We'll have you covered with all the latest news and rumors in free agency so don't go away.