The Dallas Mavericks’ first NBA Draft pick comes at No. 18. Who should the franchise take?
Before the very end of the Dirk Nowitzki era, the Dallas Mavericks were consistently one of the best franchises in the NBA. However, the team had recently hit a rough patch in the transition of losing their superstar, picking near the top of the NBA Draft after three straight years of 33 or fewer wins.
However, the Mavericks have found their new superstar in Luka Doncic, who has quickly blossomed into one of the best players in the NBA. This past season, the guard was First-Team All-NBA, averaging a team-leading 28.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg, and 8.8 apg with numerous triple-doubles. He led the franchise back to the playoffs, putting up a tough six-game effort in the first-round loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
It wasn’t just Doncic that had a great season, as the Mavericks as a whole was the best-performing offense in NBA history, per various analytics. That was until the last couple of minutes in 4th quarters of games, which is another story. Even with Kristaps Porziņģis never being 100% healthy, this franchise has plenty of optimism for the future.
Dallas now looks to the shortened offseason, starting with the upcoming NBA Draft this week. The team has two picks right now, at No. 18 and 31 respectively. With a couple of pending free agents and various needs throughout the roster, there will be an expectation for whoever gets selected to have an impact for the 2020-21 season.
Focusing on their first pick at No. 18, here are three realistic options the franchise should have to select at that spot.