The Dallas Mavericks have officially started the post-Jason Kidd era by hiring National Championship head coach Dusty May. This hire will send shockwaves through the NBA, as it's a clear message that the Mavs aren't playing around to take Cooper Flagg to ultimate greatness.
But a team already there is the Oklahoma City Thunder, and they have every reason to try to trade into the top 10 in the NBA Draft. Sam Presti is arguably the best general manager in the NBA, and he has a boatload of draft picks to play with in the next five years. If the Thunder are looking to trade up, the May hire may have been the perfect excuse.
The Thunder have the No. 12 and No. 17 picks in the draft, respectively. The Mavs would likely get those picks and can still get one of Dusty May's dream picks, such as Morez Johnson Jr. or Yaxel Lendeborg. Big man Aday Mara would likely be off the board in such a scenario.
Thunder trade-up scenario is more possible thanks to Mavericks' Dusty May hire
Presti moving into the top 10 would wreck the league in general, but a trade directly with Dallas looks even more likely. NBA insider Marc Stein has hinted that the Thunder and Mavericks are in talks about a draft-day trade (subscription required).
"Dallas and Oklahoma City, amid the Mavericks' myriad trade discussions throughout the weekend, have discussed a potential swap of No. 9 to the Thunder for the Nos. 12 and 17 picks," Stein said.
The No. 12 and No. 17 picks could be used to get someone like Lendeborg or Johnson Jr., two guys who are extremely physical on both sides of the ball, with Lendeborg shooting the rock efficiently from deep. The Big Ten Player of the Year shot 37 percent from deep and is a reliable free-throw shooter at 82 percent.
Even if the Mavs land one of the physical forwards from the Big Blue, the Mavs can get someone like Labaron Philon Jr. from Alabama at No. 17. Philon Jr. is an extremely confident scorer, and the Mavs could use someone like him to make magic off the bench. There's also the Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz, who plays as a big point guard and is reliable with the ball in his hands.
This could mean the Mavs could land three first-round draft picks at No. 12, No. 17 and No. 30, and even though they would miss out on a lottery pick, the quantity of guard talent is too good in this draft to think about.
There are options here for Dallas, but the May hire opened the door for Presti to do direct business with Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz.
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