Mavericks’ general manager Nico Harrison may not be a magician, but he certainly has learned how to turn one asset into three with the trade that netted two first-round draft picks.
The swap with Oklahoma City on draft night to trade down two spots and, by extension, pick up an additional first-round pick, became official on Thursday, the first day that deals involving traded players and free-agent movement could be finalized.
The deal was complicated. But when the Mavericks sent their draft pick (10th overall) to OKC along with veteran Davis Bertans, the Thunder gave the Mavericks the No. 12 pick and a traded-player exception that was necessary to make salaries involved in the deal equalize.
The Mavericks acquired 7-1 center Dereck Lively II with No. 12, then parlayed the trade exception into assets from Sacramento highlighted by the Kings’ draft pick (No. 24 overall), which they used on Olivier-Maxence Prosper. Thse also acquired veteran Richaun Holmes with the trade exception. That deal became official a few hours after the Lively transaction.
In other words, they traded one pick and acquired two first rounders, plus Holmes.
Lively and Prosper will go through their first official workout with the Mavericks on Friday when the summer-league team has a practice in Las Vegas ahead of its Saturday opener in the NBA 2K24 Summer League against Oklahoma City.
Lively was the first to make his deal official, doing so shortly after signings could happen Thursday morning.
“I’m excited, nervous, I’m feeling everything,” Lively said Thursday. “I’m ready to practice with my team.
“(It’s been) a little awkward just because we’re not able to practice. But we’ve been getting in extra work. Just because I’m not able to play (in practice) doesn’t mean I can’t learn.”
Part of that learning curve has been accelerated because of the presence of Tyson Chandler. The 7-1 retired center was a focal point of the Mavericks’ 2011 championship team and has a similar body build to Lively, who is trying to be a worthy apprentice to Chandler.
“Being able to learn from somebody who was that high of a caliber player and who knows that much about the position, being able to have that is such an asset,” Lively said. “He’s probably tired of me asking questions.
“We’ve been working together a lot on our touch, just trying to be 7-1, embrace it, use all my length and all my touch. (Playing smaller) happens because there are times when you’re nervous or overthink things. That’s why I have big ol’ TC there, somebody I can ask questions of and (who will tell me) not to be afraid to make mistakes.”
There is no denying the physical similarities between Lively and Chandler. But developing the intangibles and gaining the experience will only come with time for Lively.
The former Duke standout is looking forward to the summer league and playing against everybody there. That he will open his NBA career against OKC’s Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 overall pick in 2022, will add to the intrigue.
“They will get thrown into the fire,” Mavs’ summer-league head coach Jared Dudley said. “First things first, they’ll start building chemistry with the starters – both those guys will definitely be starting. There’s no better opportunity in the first game playing OKC (who have) six or seven guys that are going to be on their NBA roster.”
Meanwhile, Lively said he’s working on learning the Dallas area and his “barbecue menu.”
The basketball part also is about learning for now.
“You’re just kind of feeling your way around a dark room,” he said. “We (he and Prosper) are both trying to figure out where the walls are. You don’t really know where you’re going to be. You’re trying to learn, especially since you can’t practice.”
That will change on Friday.
“I’m excited to play,” Prosper said. “I haven’t played five-on-five since the combine a couple months ago. So the first time to put an NBA jersey on, it’s going to be exciting. Just watching has been a little hard. But we’re doing everything we can to stay in shape.
“We’re ready for practice (Friday) and the game on Saturday.”
Twitter: @ESefko
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