Dallas Mavericks team president Masai Ujiri has made it his mission to build around Cooper Flagg, and he may have lucked out in getting a solid group around him without one of the most rumored draft selections, Arizona guard Brayden Burries.
Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report graded every team's offseason. The Mavericks got an A+. That's because they reloaded at guard and decided to get a mean, defensive machine in Morez Johnson Jr. and trade Arizona power forward Koa Peat for Sergio De Larrea. Bailey specifically mentioned Burries in his article, saying the Mavericks did better than they even thought when they got De Larrea on draft night.
"And while it already looks a little dicey to have taken Morez Johnson before Brayden Burries, Dallas can reasonably say it needed size and defense more than playmaking. And it may have gotten the steal in the draft in playmaker Sergio de Larrea late in the first round."
Mavericks' head scratcher to ignore Brayden Burries in the NBA Draft is paying off
Burries was a popular name on the Mavericks' mock drafts, and it made sense. He fits today's NBA guard look. He has the size to score where he wants and can defend. He was always a solid fit, but that's already been taken care of by De Larrea.
The 20-year-old guard has already wowed in the NBA Summer League, showcasing elite dribbling and playmaking skills, and he's looking like Kyrie Irving's backup.
In fact, with the Mavericks pushing out Ryan Nembhard in the Hawks trade that brought in Zaccharie Risacher, it is clear that De Larrea is a guy the Mavericks see as valuable moving forward. There was already some friendly competition in the summer, but De Larrea made it too hard for the coaching staff to ignore, and the De Larrea steal became even more genius.
It helps that De Larrea has a history of shooting nearly 44 percent from deep, and answers the Mavs' shooting woes, as they were near the bottom in 3-point shooting last season.
The Johnson Jr. draft pick was confusing at first, but defense shouldn't be slept on. His 27 points, eight rebounds, three steals and three blocks in his summer league debut made it clear that he's going to have a place on this team for a long time. Burries has had his moments in the summer, too, but all has worked with De Larrea on the court.
With the Milwaukee Bucks rebuilding, Burries is in the perfect position. Even though De Larrea's not starting full-time, it's clear Dusty May sees him as a long-term option and a perfect addition next to Flagg.
The Mavericks got help on defense, shooting and playmaking in the first round of the draft. Ujiri should have no regrets in ignoring Burries.
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