It may have been surprising, but the Dallas Mavericks didn't waste any time reuniting Dusty May with one of his Michigan guys. They picked Morez Johnson Jr., a physical power forward who can stretch the floor if he can reach his NBA ceiling. People are calling the Mavericks the new "Michigan Mavs," and a former Mavericks coach says the franchise is ripping a page from the recent NBA champions.
Avery Johnson, former Mavericks coach and current NBA analyst, said on CBS Sports that the Johnson Jr. pick has the New York Knicks written all over it. We knew May was going to have influence and perhaps even some intel on the stock of his Michigan players, but the Mavs organization has officially turned from blue and white to the blue and maize. Here's what Johnson said when comparing the Johnson Jr. pick to the Knicks.
"It's a copycat league. At the end of the day, you got the Villanova boys that went to New York and won a championship. They won a championship at Villanova, three players that spent time together. Dusty May wanted to draft someone that he won a championship with that's going to star in his role."
Avery Johnson says the Mavericks are copying the Knicks' Villanova connection
It took a while, and some addition and subtraction to get there, but the Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson and other starters Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, won an NBA championship. Donte DiVincenzo, another Villanova product, played for the Knicks before he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It took less than 48 hours to do the same. Hire May, then draft Johnson Jr. It was easy for Mike Schmitz and Masai Ujiri to find the right guy, but they gave May the keys to the kingdom to draft one of his own national champions.
The Michigan connection is obvious, but the former Mavericks coach brings a new angle to the table. Are the Mavericks trying to become the Knicks with this pick? It's quite the strategy, but this Michigan connection is all happening so fast.
We've seen quick rebuilds before, like the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they have to be well-coached, disciplined and healthy. Flagg already has the killer instinct to take his game to the next level. They don't need Johnson Jr. to be like Flagg, but they only need him to be aggressive on the defensive end and become a stretch four.
This pick is a home run, Michigan or not, but if Johnson's analysis is true, then the Mavericks aren't wasting any time trying to find a new identity with May leading the squad.
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