Mavericks Draft Night Plans

Since my Mavs only have one pick tonight (number 50), my draft excitement has been somewhat tempered compared to years past. Yet I'm still a draft freak and considering the Mavs are always a team capable of paying to move up into the draft, I'm still preparing just like I would if they had a lottery pick.

3 PLAYERS WORTH MOVING INTO THE FIRST ROUND FOR:
Obviously I'm taking the big guys off the table here because of the cost. The Mavs aren't in a position to pick up a top 5 pick so Evan Turner, John Wall, etc. are out. But the Mavs could be able to jump up into a pick between 10 and 20 if the right player was there. The right players for me would be:

1. Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky - Patterson would fit in perfectly with the Mavs. While he's probably not ever going to be a 20-10 (points-rebounds), he could be a 10-8 guy for the Mavs right now. On a team that seriously lacks in both youth and front court depth, Patterson would fill two needs. Worst case scenario, he's Brandon Bass, a capable back up power forward. Best case, he's David West.
2. Paul George, SG, Fresno State - I'm a little wary of George because he has the potential to be a Workout Wonder: a guy who didn't do a whole lot in college and then jumps up the draft boards with good workouts. But everything I've heard says George's relative lack of production (16 points, 9 boards, 2 steals) is more due to his teammates and exposure to big time media. Regardless, George could start at shooting guard for the Mavs (if they traded Marion or Butler) and provide a little bit of everything immediately.
3. Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas - Normally I'd be dead-set against the Mavs drafting another big white guy. But in this case, I think Aldrich would be a great addition to the team as a backup center who could immediately contribute defense and rebounding. He's also a much tougher player than your average big white stiff. While I think Aldrich would be a bad pick for any of the teams actually in the lottery (because he has almost no potential to be a real offensive player), he'd be perfect for a good team that can pick him up.

5 GUYS WORTH TRADING UP IN THE SECOND ROUND FOR:
If any of the players I listed as "Sleepers" or "Players I Love" in my previous post (James, Jones, Hobson, Warren, White, etc.), I think they'd be worth the money it would cost to buy into the top 5 in the second round. In addition I would consider:

1. Elliot Williams, G, Memphis - Williams is a lottery player who just hasn't had a chance to show it yet. He started at Duke and showed flashes of his potential, then moved to Memphis to be near his family. He played very well last year but in relative obscurity. An injury prevented him from making the proper workout rounds leading up to the draft and there's a chance he falls into the mid second round, where he represents a HUGE value.

2. Craig Brackins, PF, Iowa State - Two years ago Brackins was a lottery pick. Last year he was a sure first rounder. This year he could drop into the second round. Scouts see less potential in him than they did before and Iowa State never did anything while he was there. I see him as a guy who was never comfortable as a leader or as a star player but has the scoring and rebounding ability to be a dynamite NBA role player.

3. Stanley Robinson, SF, UCONN - Robinson suffers from being on an underachieving UCONN team and not having the type of workouts NBA scouts are looking for. He's not going to create any shots for himself but he rebounds, defends, and runs the break, and if you get it to him on the break, he's throwing down (like Shawn Marion).

10 PLAYERS I'D BE HAPPY WITH AT #50:

1. Wayne Chism, C, Tennessee - Chism probably isn't going to get drafted so maybe we should just hold out for Summer League. But if the Mavs could get their hands on Chism, I would be thrilled. For me, Chism is a dead ringer for Ben Wallace, a guy who rebounds, plays defense, and knocks people around when they come in the lane. He absolutely has a place in this league.
2. Latavious Williams, SF, USA - Williams skipped college and played a year in the D-League where his abilities and maturity came around stronger and stronger throughout the season. He's a project but he has more potential than anyone else at this point in the draft.
3. Brian Zoubek, C, Duke - Not a flashy pick by any means, Zoubek has solid career ahead of him as a backup center. He rebounds very well, especially on the offensive end, and plays excellent defense. He also knows his role as well as anyone in the league.
4. Jarvis Varnado, C, Mississippi State - Like Chism, Varnado is a Ben Wallace starter kit. He plays defense and rebounds and doesn't worry about anything else. He's a bit frailer than Chism.
5. Jon Scheyer, PG, Duke - Scheyer is slow of foot, unflashy, and potentially between positions. But he has two decidedly NBA-level skills, more than most at this time: he's a lights out shooter and a born leader. In the right position, he's got an NBA career ahead of him.
6. Dexter Pittman, C, Texas - Pittman is a beast of a man who unfortunately seems to like food more than he does basketball. He's got a solid skill set, though, and would be worth a risk this late.
7. Ryan Richards, C, England - Richards is incredibly raw and unpolished, having only played basketball for a short period of time. He's a great option, though, to stash away for a couple of years and watch his development.

8. Sherron Collins, PG, Kansas - Collins has one NBA-level skill and that is scoring. He just finds ways to score. He is undersized, though, and not a true point guard and I think you have to question his ability to transition from star to role player.
9. Denis Clemente, PG, Kansas State - Clemente is undersized and isn't a very good scorer or shooter. But he's a solid flood leader and pest on defense, like a smaller Raja Bell.
10. Da'Sean Butler, G, West Virginia - Butler would absolutely be an early second round pick if not for a horrific ACL tear during a Final Four game against Duke. He's a tweener, not quite point guard, not quite shooting guard, but he is a great athlete (at least before the injury) and a very good scorer who has a place in the league if he works hard.

And if we can avoid taking Greivis Vasquez, the only player ever in the history of the NBA draft to qualify as both the cockiest and slowest player in the draft, I'd be just thrilled.