Mavs GM on Trades for Dereck Lively II, Olivier-Maxence Prosper: ‘We Killed The Draft’

As the 2023 NBA draft comes to a close, the Mavs are ‘really excited’ with the start to their offseason.
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You know the saying, “you can’t have your cake and eat it too?” Well, that’s exactly what the Dallas Mavericks did in the 2023 NBA Draft, especially if you ask them.

On Thursday night, Dallas traded back from their original spot at No. 10 to acquire the No. 12 pick for Davis Bertans from the Oklahoma City Thunder. With No. 12, the Mavs selected Duke center Dereck Lively II

Later on in the first round, Dallas found their way back on the clock. This time, they utilized the $17 million trade exception created by the deal with OKC for a trade with the Sacramento Kings by absorbing center Richaun Holmes and the No. 24 pick, which Marquette forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper.

For Mavs GM Nico Harrison, he was like a kid in a candy store as Dallas landed two of their highest-rated prospects. 

“We were like ‘which one should we take?’ And we got ‘em both,” Harrison said of Lively and Prosper. 

Lively provides the Mavericks with a rim-protecting big that they’ve lacked for so long. With his range on the defensive end and ability as a rebounder and pick-and-roll threat, he helps fill Dallas’ hole at center.

As for Prosper, his size and athleticism on the perimeter gives Dallas a defensive presence that they immediately lacked once trading away Dorian Finney-Smith. In an offense alongside Luka Doncic, Prosper should flourish as a slasher and small-ball screen setter. 

Harrison praised the ‘high character’ that both Lively and Prosper carry themselves with. Along with their athleticism and defensive ability, he believes they should have no trouble seeing the floor ‘right away’.

“They solve needs that we’ve been trying to solve,” Harrison said Lively. “They’re long and they’re athletic and lead with defense. I’m generally a happy person, but we’re really excited. We feel like we killed the draft.”

Now, let’s see if the Mavs can kill it in free agency as well.


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Michael Mulford
MICHAEL MULFORD

Michael Mulford is a writer/editor for Dallas Basketball, where he extensively covers the Dallas Mavericks. He also covers the Chicago Bulls as the Managing Editor for Bulls Wire of USA Today Sports Media Group. Mulford grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and graduated from the University of North Texas in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Event, and Sports Management. He began his pursuit of sports writing in 2017 with Dallas Sports Fanatic, where he covered the Mavericks’ G League affiliate, Texas Legends. He then became the Managing Editor of Dallas Sports Fanatic just one year later and has covered the Mavericks as a credentialed media member since 2018, including covering numerous playoff games between 2021-22 and covering the team at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in 2019. In his time covering the Mavericks, Mulford has conducted numerous interviews for exclusive stories including with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, former Maverick and current VP of Basketball Ops Michael Finley, former Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson, and more. You can follow and interact with Mulford on Twitter at @TheMulf.