5-on-5 With Chris Stone on the Dallas Mavericks 2017 NBA Draft
Jan 3, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle reacts during the game against the Washington Wizards at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The Dallas Mavericks are heading towards a lottery pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Here are five questions surrounding their strategy, targets, and more.
The Dallas Mavericks sit with a 11-24 record and quite naturally, the talk around Dallas is centered around their first round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
It was just under a month ago the Dallas Mavericks sat at the very bottom of the league with the worst record in the NBA and under 10 wins on the season. Now, after getting relatively healthy over the last couple of weeks, the Mavericks have climbed up to 11 wins, but is still considered one of the worst teams in the league.
Even though “tanking” is not the gospel that is being preached in Dallas, finishing towards the bottom of the league could be on the horizon come the spring.
So what should the Dallas Mavericks do with their first round pick?
Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball sit near the top of some draft boards, but who should Dallas take if they have the choice? If both are gone, who should Dallas target? What about the second-tier point guards? Is there a name that could creep into the top 5?
I reached out to NBA Draft expert, Chris Stone, from FanSided’s “The Step Back“, to talk about the Mavericks draft strategy heading into the 2017 NBA Draft. I asked his opinion on key prospects, potential targets and more.
Here are five questions surrounding the 2017 NBA Draft for the Dallas Mavericks
Dec 11, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) calls a play against the Nevada Wolf Pack during the second half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Nevada defeated Washington, 87-85. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
1.) Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball?
Harris: If the Dallas Mavericks win the lottery and want to select their next point guard of the future, is it Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball?
Stone: “I think this is a pretty easy decision in favor of Fultz. He fits the mold of big, athletic point guard that has been trending in the NBA. He has all of the skills you could want on offense, including being able to attack off the bounce, facilitate in the halfcourt and transition and shoot from outside. Fultz has the potential to play both on the ball or off it, which would bring a nice bit of flexibility for Rick Carlisle to work with.
Defensively, there are still some questions given the porous performance of Washington’s team defense this season, but Fultz has the physical tools to be a good defender. He’ll just require some coaching to tease those out.
Ball, on the other hand, has been climbing up draft boards this season as he’s helped fundamentally changed the style of play for the Bruins en route to a hot start in Los Angeles. Still, there are some concerns about how well the 6-foot-6 guard will translate in the NBA. Specifically, can Ball defend NBA-level point guards and will the awkward mechanics of his jump shot allow him to shoot off the dribble as a professional? For those reasons, this is an easy call for me.”
Jan 4, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack guard Dennis Smith Jr. (4) reacts after a basket during the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at PNC Arena. The Wolfpack won 104-78. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
2.) After Fultz and Ball, which point guard should Dallas target?
Harris: Of the “second tier” point guards, who would you take first if you were Dallas? Ntilikina, Smith, or Fox?
Stone: “Of that group, I like Dennis Smith Jr. the best despite having some reservations about his early production at North Carolina State. Smith is an uber-athletic 6-foot-3 point guard who excels in transition and can jump out of the gym. As he continues to recover from an ACL injury during his senior year of high school, he should show that even more.
Early returns on Smith’s jumper have also been positive. He’s made 39.4 percent of 66 3-point attempts this season and is shooting nearly 80 percent from the free throw line. Smith won’t be a multi-position defender, but he does offer a nice steal rate that should translate nicely. Frank Ntilikina and De’Aaron Fox are both nice prospects, but I lean Smith right now.”
Dec 30, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Josh Jackson (11) during the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
3.) If Fultz and Ball are gone, who should Dallas take?
Harris: If Dallas owns the third pick, and Ball/Fultz are gone, who do they take?
Stone: “I don’t think fit should be too much of a concern if you’re sitting in the top five with a decent ways to go before you get into playoff contention, so I would take the best player available here. Assuming you think Fultz and Ball will be the first two players off the board, the answer for me is Kansas’ Josh Jackson.
The 6-foot-8 swingman has plenty of concerns revolving around his jumper, but he’s got everything else you could want in a wing. Jackson plays with a certain level of intensity that’s tough to find and is a very good defender already, something Carlisle should value. He’s a great creator for himself and for teammates from the wing spot as well, which is rare for a player his size. The jumper is legitimate worry given how much spacing the floor matters in today’s NBA.
That said, Kansas hasn’t worked to change his shooting motion because they’d rather work with him on the things during their one year with him. Someone will change his shot and hopefully that’ll lead to positive results down the line.”
Jan 4, 2017; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts after getting fouled by the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
4.) If Dallas lands outside the top 3, then what?
Harris: I personally think Dallas will win enough games to land a pick somewhere between 5-9, who should they target?
Stone: “If the belief is that Dallas will need a point guard, then there will be plenty of options available in this range. This draft class is loaded with point guards throughout the lottery and any of the above would presumably help the Mavericks. Picking in this range is always heavily dependent on what everyone above you does, though, so that will shape the specific names. And who knows. A prospect always slips, maybe someone like Jayson Tatum falls into Dallas’ lap if there at the top end of the five through nine range.”
Dec 17, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Lauri Markkanen (10) attempts a free throw during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
5.) Who is a name to watch outside the top 5?
Harris: Give me one name that could sneak up into top 6 consideration that is not there now.
Stone: “This obviously depends a little bit on what public draft board that you’re looking at, but a few names that pop to mind are Harry Giles, Jonathan Isaac and Lauri Markkanen.
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Giles was the top-rated high school recruit in the country, but has dealt with knee injuries for nearly the entirety of his career. If he proves himself healthy, he’s a great talent who could provide a ton of defensive versatility in addition to some projectable scoring.
Isaac is a 6-foot-11 combo forward who is putting up ridiculous numbers for Florida State. He’s shooting nearly 40 percent from behind the arc, can rebound and has been a solid secondary rim protector for the Seminoles.
Finally, Markkanen is a 7-footer out of Arizona who can shoot 3s in catch-and-shoot spots or coming off of screens. He’s a verifiable offensive talent with a skill set that doesn’t really match his size. His ability to defend is much less certain and that’s been enough to depress his stock on some boards.”
You can follow NBA Draft expert, Chris Stone, on Twitter @cstonehoops and see his work @The_Step_Back.
