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Dallas Mavericks: Why Isaiah Roby Might Be Dallas’ Ruby in the Rubbish

By David Lynch

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 15: Ethan Happ #22 of the Wisconsin Badgers and Isaiah Roby #15 of the Nebraska Huskers battle for the ball in the first half during the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 15, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 15: Ethan Happ #22 of the Wisconsin Badgers and Isaiah Roby #15 of the Nebraska Huskers battle for the ball in the first half during the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 15, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Since the conclusion of the 2019 NBA Finals, Dallas Mavericks fans have been waiting for the beginning of the 2019-2020 season: the night of the 2019 NBA Draft…

Heading into the draft, the Dallas Mavericks held only the 37th pick because our draft position at 10th was sacrificed to the Atlanta Hawks as a part of the Luka Doncic trade made a year prior.

Finally on the clock, nearly four hours into the draft (yes, you read that correctly), the Mavs’ front office made us wait a bit longer with another draft day trade- reaching an agreement with the Detroit Pistons to trade our 37th pick for their 45th pick in the 2019 draft and two future second-round picks.

With the 45th pick of the draft, the Dallas Mavericks selected Isaiah Roby- the versatile and athletic power forward out of the University of Nebraska.

The 21-year-old Cornhusker is a very promising wing to say the least, as he not only excels in finishing above-the-rim in traffic and in the open court, but he can also push the ball off the rebound and score, or find open players in transition. Roby marries a quick first step with superb ball-handling (for his frame) to attack slower bigs and take advantage of mismatches.

Although Isaiah is an inconsistent free throw and three-point shooter who can certainly improve on his off-the-dribble shooting, the 6’8” forward not only has shown steady improvements each year in college, but he further spaces the floor with deadly perimeter efficiency from the corners and wings- assisting in both easier interior scoring opportunities by Kristaps and penetration by Luka (and other Mavs’ ball-handlers).

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Roby’s unselfishness and willingness to find the open man within the offense is a match in Carlisle’s ball movement system (often finding the cutting man or the open shooter). With his 210+ pound-size, Isaiah will excel in the pick and roll and as a screener for off-ball action. Furthermore, his potential showcases that he will develop the pick and pop in no time.

On the defensive side of the ball, Roby’s quick feet and frame allow him to switch onto multiple positions effortlessly without much liability (pointing to his consistent defensive points per possession in isolation and in the post).

Despite his underwhelming rebounding numbers, Isaiah Roby has an unteachable nose for the ball on both sides of the floor, and conditioning in his body strength will help both his rebounding and interior defense and post offense.

In conclusion, Isaiah Roby will thrive in Dallas’ royal and navy blues as he is a great plug-in alongside both the starting team and bench unit. MFFLers should look forward to corner threes, ball movement, solid versatility on D, high-flying finishes, and an absolute monster in transition.

dark. Next. How and why Kemba Walker is a possibility for the Mavs

NBA fans should get ready to call the police because I believe the Mavericks have a solid steal.

  • Published on 06/24/2019 at 11:00 AM
  • Last updated at 06/24/2019 at 18:13 PM
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