If the Dallas Mavericks want to capitalize on finding their next long-term centerpiece next to Cooper Flagg, team president Masai Ujiri may need to swing for the fences in this draft, and he has every reason to do so if they want to get Illinois guard Keaton Wagler.
The Mavs will have the No. 9 overall pick in the NBA Draft, but there's some fog in the clouds about how confident Ujiri can be in finding Flagg's centerpiece at nine. Andy Bailey from Bleacher Report wrote an article on which teams should either trade up, down, or keep their picks. Bailey suggested a move that Mavs fans have been quiet about, but they shouldn't be anymore.
Bailey says the Mavs have every reason to trade up, even as high as No. 5. The Los Angeles Clippers have that pick, and according to Tankathon, Wagler is projected to go to the Clippers at that spot. However, there's a catch, and it's one fans can't ignore. Kyrie Irving will be coming off a torn ACL injury. Do the Mavs dare to use him as a piece to try and trade a few spots higher? Here's what Bailey said:
"Kyrie is also 34 and coming off a torn ACL. Using his contract and the No. 9 pick to try to move a few picks higher could help the Mavs find a potential running mate for Flagg who's on the same developmental timeline. And there are a few teams currently slated to pick ahead of Dallas that could be enticed by Irving's game and star power, including the Sacramento Kings (No. 7), Nets, Los Angeles Clippers (No. 5) and Bulls (No. 4)."
Mavs should trade up on draft night without having to trade away Kyrie Irving
All Mavericks fans want to see are reps from Irving and Flagg. If Irving is in and out of the lineup with more injury concerns, then the Mavs have some value to trade him at next February's deadline, but definitely not for a few spots up in the draft.
They don't need to trade Irving this season, but much less on draft night. Instead, the Mavs can use their first-round picks, but they HAVE to make this one count, as the Mavs don't fully control their own first-rounder until 2031.
Currently, the Mavs have the No. 9 and No. 30 picks, and while it's not a bad situation to be in, Ujiri has every excuse to be aggressive in this year's draft. While Kingston Flemings, Brayden Burries and Mikel Brown Jr. are enticing pickups, they aren't a guaranteed home run splash for the Mavs.
Wagler is a multi-level offensive scorer who can stay on the court with Irving and Flagg. He can play point when Irving is on the bench, and play at the two when Irving is out there running the point. Best of all, Wagler has been an NBA-ready three-point shooter. We're not necessarily saying he's the next Stephen Curry, but every time Wagler has taken the court, he's been nothing shy of fantastic.
Not to mention, he was highly underrated coming out of high school in Shawnee, Kansas, and has answered the bell for everything thrown at him.
But it can only happen if Dallas trades up for him. The Mavs would likely have to give the Clippers the No. 9 and No. 30 picks, as they can still find a shooting guard like Burries, who's a high-energy combo guard next to Darius Garland.
Wagler is already on record saying the Mavs would be a "really good fit" for him. Wagler also said he's the best guard in the draft because of his versatility. Of course, those are his words, but there aren't too many draft analysts who would disagree with that.
If Ujiri wants to make an immediate impact with the DFW fanbase, he would find a way to trade up to get Wagler.
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