More draft picks might be better
According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the Dallas Mavericks are testing the market’s interest in the 26th overall draft pick. Per Fischer:
The Mavericks and Warriors are searching for opportunities to acquire future draft capital for those selections, sources said, in the event a coveted player on their boards doesn’t fall. Another possible outcome is that they will select international draft-and-stash players.
Fischer notes the rapidly increasing cost of the Mavericks roster as a potential reason to move the pick down the line, but considering Dallas currently owes a protected pick to the Knicks in 2023, they might be interested in trading into what many experts see as a much deeper draft.
One option suggested by Dallas fans is trading back, perhaps exchanging their first round pick for multiple second round picks, but that’s just an idea. The Mavericks have not traded for a pick in a long time, having to send out picks for Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis and often using picks in deals in the late 2000’s to acquire players in a variety of deals.
Draft picks are the modern NBA currency which seems to move most deals of significance and until the Mavericks convey the pick owed to the Knicks, they must get creative and open themselves to a variety of options. With nine days to go before the 2022 NBA Draft, at the very least it is reassuring to know the Dallas front office is leaving no stone unturned.