Dallas Mavericks Likely to Keep Lottery Pick
The Dallas Mavericks will soon find out where their pick falls at the draft lottery on Tuesday, May 16, but don't expect them to use it as trade bait.
"Regardless of where they pick, a source said Thursday that the team is likely to keep the pick rather than trade it for a more established NBA player," Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News said in his report.
"The reasoning? They have begun the youth movement, and once you start, there's no going back. Plus, assuming they remain at ninth, whatever player they might be able to acquire for that pick isn't going to put them over the top this coming season — unless you're talking about getting over the top of .500," he continued.
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That sounds logical. Why should they give up the pick for a veteran who can't put them over the top against the elite teams in the Western Conference? Using the pick on a promising young player is a much better option right now for the team.
The Mavericks have always tried to surround Dirk Nowitzki with veteran role players, but they decided to change their approach this past season when they gave several young players their chance to shine.
The Mavericks' youth movement is already paying dividends and players like Harrison Barnes, Seth Curry and Yogi Ferrell had the best seasons of their careers.
According to Sefko, team president Donnie Nelson and several other team personnel will head to Europe to check on French point guard Frank Ntilikina and other prospects once they are done evaluating players at the draft combine in Chicago. He also said team executives will make another trip to Europe before the draft.
Well, the Mavericks are definitely doing their due diligence and it doesn't look like they are interested in trading away the pick.
