With Proper Drafting, Mavs Could Be Best Team In NBA
Follow The Fan: Facebook | Twitter
The Dallas Mavericks roster is in a state of flux right now.
That's probably an understatement considering the Mavs need to make picks during tonight's 2015 NBA Draft to ensure they at least have the minimum number of players needed to field a starting five.
But it shouldn't be that way.
Many people, myself included, frequently criticize the picks (or lack thereof) Dallas has made in the draft since the turn of the millennium. But instead of just standing on that generic opinion, I decided to do the research and see the players the Mavs could have taken had they been more active participants in the draft.
The results were more shocking (and saddening) than I could have imagined.
So, without further ado … OK, maybe a little ado … here is the team I put together.
Please note I did not make a single trade up for any of these selections. I made choices strictly out of the positions Dallas made picks from or could have made picks from had they not traded them. Also, I only went back to the 2010 NBA Draft because, quite frankly, that was all that was needed to make the point.
Let's start in 2010 where Dallas selected Dominique Jones (25th pick). We'll quickly abandon that pick and go for the shooting guard out of Cincinnati, Lance Stephenson. Remember in 2011 when the Mavs briefly had Jordan Hamilton (26), well don't worry about that, because we are ditching that pick (and the subsequent trade to Denver) and taking the shooting guard from Marquette, Jimmy Butler.
Now, 2012 is a bit more complex.
We'll still make the same trade Dallas did and ship Tyler Zeller off to Cleveland, but then we won't make any of the same picks the Mavs made from there. Instead of Jared Cunningham (24), Bernard James (33) and Jae Crowder (34), we'll go with Miles Plumlee, Draymond Green and Khris Middleton, respectively.
Remember in 2013 when Dallas briefly had Kelly Olynyk (13) before sending him to Boston?
Yeah, well, we're not making that trade. And we're not taking Olynyk either, instead selecting the small forward out of Greece, Giannis Antetokounmpo (aka the Greek Freak).
That means no Shane Larkin, but don't worry – Dallas can still easily pull off the ensuing trade for Tyson Chandler the next year as they'll include Middleton, who is a far superior player to Larkin.
With this youth movement, Dallas would have seen no need to go after Lamar Odom (what a magical world that would be) and therefore held on to its first round draft pick from last year. With that selection, the Mavs could have taken the point guard out of Missouri, Jordan Clarkson. Clarkson was first team on the All-NBA Rookie Team. With that point guard in tow, there is no need to make the trade for Rajon Rondo, which means the Mavs not only keep Brandan Wright, but they also maintain their first round selection in the 2016 NBA Draft (which they currently do not have).
That was a lot of changes and names, so let's boil it down to what the team could look like right now:
At point guard: Clarkson, Devin Harris, JJ Barea
At shooting guard: Butler, Stephenson … that's right, he's your back up!
At small forward: Green, Antetokounmpo, Al-Farouq Aminu … don't forget, all these young players are cheap and the Mavs aren't experiencing any salary cap concerns so Aminu is easy to re-sign.
At power forward: Dirk Nowitzki … of course our best draft pick ever is still here, Wright, Charlie Villanueva
At center: Chandler, Plumlee, Wright
Tell me that roster wouldn't be amazing?! This would be a team primed to win multiple championships.
Not only would the Mavs be significantly upgraded in terms of talent and athleticism, their team is way younger (eight of your 13 players are 27 or younger) and cheaper. Plus, there are still two open roster spots, meaning Dallas could sign both of its picks (21 and 52) from tonight or simply ink the first rounder and go after pretty much whatever free agent they wanted as the money is still there.
Now, of course I see the potential downfalls.
It would be extremely hard to hit on all those draft picks, head coach Rick Carlisle rarely plays rookies, etc., but the point remains valid – just look at what could have been done in just the last five years if Dallas put any real stock or focus into the draft.
That's what makes the draft so important … and that's why I hope the Mavs begin to do things differently, starting tonight!
(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
