Dallas Mavericks: What should the team do with the 18th pick in the draft?

The Dallas Mavericks currently own the 18th pick in the draft and the question to ponder is what should the team do with the pick?

With the season over, teams like the Dallas Mavericks can begin looking ahead to the off-season and shift their focus to the draft. Currently the Dallas Mavericks own the 18th pick and with that comes so many options.

Should the team keep the pick and draft youth? or Why not trade the draft pick? I mean look at our draft history (well Luka is the exception.) What should the Dallas Mavericks do?

Why not keep the selection?

Currently, there is a number of prospects to select from if Dallas decides to hold the 18th pick. Just imagine, Lamelo Ball paired with young Luka Doncic. Well now we are dreaming, but there is plenty of young ballers to choose from.

One player who stands out is Memphis forward Precious Achiuwa. For the tigers last season, he averaged a near double double with 15.8 points per game and 10.8 rebounds. His stature resembles that of a young Chris Webber and powerful Larry Johnson.

He can also beat you outside the paint. Achiuwa shot 49.3 percent from the field and maintained close to two blocks a game. His ability to dominant inside and outside the paint is what makes him stand out. His youthful athleticism would pair perfectly with the Mavs core and would allow them to develop for many more years.

Another draft pick who could fall at number 18 is 6’9 forward Isaiah Stewart. For the Huskies last season, he averaged 17 points game, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. His last game of the season truly brought out the best in him. Before COVID struck, Stewart had himself a game against the Arizona Wildcats. Against the Wildcats, he had 29 points on 81.8 field goal shooting. and combined that with 12 rebounds. The young forward has also proven to be effective in the pick &roll.

Picking at number 18 has its many benefits and can bring plenty of youth to an already up-in coming contender. While the dream of Lamelo may be dead, there is still plenty of talent for Dallas to select from.

It may also be best to trade away the pick.

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Looking at the team’s past draft history, things have not been so favorable when it comes to selecting a valuable asset. Besides Luka, the Dallas Mavericks have not had success when it comes  to drafting in the draft. The last player to provide an impact impact was Dennis Smith Jr and before that, Josh Howard? Plus a majority of the time, Dallas fails to keep their draftees for the long-haul.

The best-case scenario: trade away the selection and sign a key number of veterans. It worked for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2010-2011 season. Just look at the current Los Angeles Lakers. Name one rookie they drafted from the past two seasons. Now name some of the veterans they have? The team could easily trade the pick  for a future selection or even bring in a mindful veteran.

So should the team trade the 18th selection? Yes and no. If you want to continue to build towards the future then no and use it to help build around Luka. Now if the mindset is to be safe and not repeat history, then yes trade it. A veteran over a rookie would not be a bad idea. Plus who knows, maybe Giannis Antetokounmpo might just surprise all of us.

• Published on 10/15/2020 at 12:31 PM
• Last updated at 10/15/2020 at 09:31 AM