Dallas Mavericks fans are hopefully waking up peacefully after the NBA Draft, as they secured their future with Cooper Flagg and picked Morez Johnson Jr in hopes of being his long-term running mate. Sergio De Larrea was a late trade-up in the first round, and most NBA analysts thought the Mavs won there, too.
On Day 2, the Mavericks out of nowhere got arguably the most athletic player in the draft. Tobi Lawal, from Virginia Tech, can fly high and slash to the basket and rattle the rim when he gets a chance. The Los Angeles Lakers made a trade to send 6-foot-8 Russian guard Vsevolod Ishchenko to Dallas.
This looks like a win on paper, but we should grade these picks individually as they happened. Here are our grades for each pick and a breakdown of what we know.
No. 9 - Morez Johnson Jr. - F/C (Michigan)
It was rumored that the Dusty May hire would open up a Michigan pipeline, and it was about the easiest transition for both May and Johnson Jr.
The pick was surprising at first, because many draft boards had Aday Mara as the highest upside between Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Landeborg. But in the end, it made sense. Johnson Jr. is a rugged, physical defender who can stretch the floor. If he reaches his ceiling to stretch the floor and shoot from the outside, this pick will be a win-win.
It was already a slam dunk pick, but if Johnson Jr. can reach his ceiling, it would be like another Bam Adebayo in the making.
No. 25 - Sergio De Larrea - G (Spain)
De Larrea from Spain offers the Mavericks ball handling and much-needed outside shooting, which is the Mavericks' biggest flaw. The Mavs also got lucky with the young Spanish guard, as the New York Knicks traded the No. 25 pick De Larrea to the Mavericks for No. 30 Koa Peat and two second-round picks.
He's already won the Spanish Super Cup MVP in his teens and has gotten valuable reps in the second-best competitive league in the world. De Larrea for Peat was a steal of itself, as Peat does not solve any of the Mavericks' shooting woes, and his stock also slipped over the last few months.
Flagg's court vision and passing ability will be able to get De Larrea clean looks from deep, and this was a massive sigh of relief for the Mavericks.
No. 48 - Tobi Lawal - F (Virginia Tech)
The Mavericks Lawal, arguably the most athletic player in the draft. Lawal is a late bloomer to the game, as he didn't even play organized basketball until he was 16.
Lawal stood out at the NBA Draft Combine with a 45.5-inch max vertical and a 40.0-inch no-step vertical. He's an NBA athlete, but most of his shots come from the paint.
If he doesn't have a true outside shot, will that cost him? The closest we can probably compare him to would either be Jason Richardson or Derrick Jones Jr. He may live in the paint as a slasher, but he has plenty of time to find his shot.
No. 56 - Vsevolod Ishchenko - G (Russia)
Ischenko is a tall guard who can drive inside and make plays. Some of the passes he makes are extremely flashy, and he's another one where you ask yourself, "Why was he ranked this low?"
He also has a great body and moves well on defense. His physicality will be tested in the NBA, but at 6-foot-8 and 218 pounds, he has an NBA-ready body.
He's going to get some reps in Summer League, but we shouldn't be surprised if Ischenko gets into rhythm very quickly.
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