The Mavericks go into Wednesday’s first round of the NBA draft without a selection.
Their only pick in the 2024 draft is No. 58 – the last pick of the second round, thanks to Phoenix and Philadelphia forfeiting their choices in the second round for violating league rules.
Since the NBA changed the draft to a two-day event, the Mavericks won’t get their pick until Thursday.
But that doesn’t mean they won’t be busy.
General manager Nico Harrison and his staff have been conducting workouts at the Mavericks’ training facility for weeks, looking for a player who might fit their roster at No. 58 or as an undrafted free agent.
Plus, there’s also the possibility of moving up in the draft if the Mavericks see an opportunity to improve that is cost-efficient.
The Mavericks also have done their homework on international players and pretty much anybody who they feel could be an asset, be it short- or long-term.
And, of course, free agency is right around the corner. Officially, talks can begin with free agents and their representatives on June 30 at 5 p.m., Dallas time. The Mavericks and other teams could begin negotiations with their own free agents the day after the playoffs ended on June 17.
Free agents can sign new contracts on July 6.
But for now, it’s time to draft. And while the Mavericks jettisoned all their picks to help build the roster that made the NBA Finals this season, they do have a pick.
To find out how the Mavericks got the last pick of the 2024 draft, you have to go back to 2020, when the Boston Celtics included the selection as part of the trade that sent Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets.
The Celtics were desperate to get rid of Hayward and the rebuilding Hornets were a decent landing spot for him. Charlotte also got another second-round choice and gave up very little in the deal (a trade exception and one second-rounder).
The Hornets held onto the pick before using it in February’s deal that brought P.J. Washington to Dallas for Seth Curry, Grant Williams and the Mavericks’ 2027 first-round draft pick.
That trade accelerated the Mavericks’ timetable for putting a championship roster together, albeit at the expense of future assets.
When you have Luka Dončić, you do whatever you can to build a contending team as fast and as consistently as possible, just as the last generation of Mavericks did around Dirk Nowitzki.
One thing that won’t be a problem, Harrison said, is the Mavericks running their first offseason roster building under new ownership. Patrick Dumont became the team’s governor in December, purchasing the majority of the franchise from Mark Cuban.
“It’s going to be great,” Harrison said of the working relationship. “Patrick is kind of similar to what I’ve been used to in corporate America. He runs a huge company, like 35,000 people. He’s not emotional. He’s more strategic. He’s not going to be in the weeds. We’re going to have a great relationship. We already do.”
The only real challenge for the Mavericks when it comes to zeroing in on talent in free agency is money. The Mavericks won’t have much under the salary cap and what they have will be in the form of exceptions.
“We’re going to spend all the money we have in the offseason,” Harrison said.
When laughter from media members tapered off, he added: “I don’t think money is going to be an object. I think it’s doing it the right way, bringing in people with good character. Money’s not going to be a limiting factor. They want to win. We’re going to be smart about it, though. But we’re not having money conversations.”
Rather, it’s talent conversations. The Mavericks perennially get linked to incessant rumors, some believable, some not so much.
But the areas of need are not open to debate: a next-level shooter, another strong wing player/defender and rebounding, although that’s not the issue it was before the trades for Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington in February, along with the development of rookie center Dereck Lively II.
Free agency will take on a life of its own, as it always does. But the draft is not as much of a moving target.
Barring a trade, here’s a look at 10 players that qualify as suspects for the Mavericks. Most mock drafts have them going in the 50s on Thursday night.
Pelle Larsson, 6-5, a Swedish shooting guard who schooled at Arizona.
Oso Ighodaro, 6-10, from Marquette, who has a good grasp of the game.
Jalen Bridges, 6-7, from Baylor with strong potential as a 3-and-D player.
Juan Nunez, 6-3, a pass-first point guard from Spain.
Jamal Shead, 6-1, a smallish point guard from Houston whose upside is a light version of Lu Dort.
Jaylen Wells, a Washington State product with good potential.
Boogie Ellis, 6-1, an undersized shooter from USC.
Isaac Jones, 6-8, a high energy big man from Washington State.
Tristen Newton, 6-3 guard from UConn who can do a little of everything.
Bronny James, the 6-2 son of LeBron James, who nobody envisions slipping past No. 55 (the Lakers’ final pick of the draft).
X: @ESefko
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