Mavs EXCLUSIVE: GM Nico Harrison ‘Relieved’ By NBA Draft Lottery Results
CHICAGO — After finishing the 2022-23 season with a 38-44 record, the Dallas Mavericks' top priority shifted to the NBA Draft Lottery as opposed to competing in the play-in tournament, let alone the playoffs.
Entering the lottery, among the top storylines was the Mavs facing a top-10 protection for their pick while having the 10th-best odds for the top overall selection. Had their positioning fallen out of the top 10, the pick would be owed to the New York Knicks.
Once the envelopes were opened for picks 11-14, it was confirmed that the Mavs would be holding onto their pick. The result was a relief for the organization, and for Mavs general manager Nico Harrison, specifically, who represented the team on stage.
"Relieved once it got to the 11th pick and I knew we at least would get the 10th pick," Harrison told DallasBasketball.com.
There has been recent reporting about the Mavs potentially trading their first-round pick if they retained it. When Harrison was asked about it, he made clear that consideration will be given to every potential scenario, including the use of the pick to add a prospect.
"I was going to ask you to give me the trade speculation, so maybe I add it to my board," Harrison said. "I don't know anything about the trade rumors. We got to look at every possible scenario, so we'll do that for sure."
As far as general roster improvement goes, the Mavs have a clear need to bolster the defensive capabilities of the supporting cast around Doncic. When asked if on-ball defense and rim protection are needs to address, he acknowledged that both must be improved this offseason.
"I think both," Harrison said.
The Mavs will now need to evaluate prospects at the remainder of the NBA Scouting Combine combine and conduct pre-draft workouts to gain as much intel as possible before using the 10th pick. The same applies for potential trade targets.
The Mavs were fined $750,000 for sitting key players during their final two games of the season. However, doing that was the best chance for Dallas to avoid finishing 11th in the league standings, which would’ve all but guaranteed giving New York the pick.
It was a longshot for the Mavs to gain the top overall pick with just a 3.0 percent chance of doing so, but the top priority was to at least keep the pick. History hasn't been on the Mavs' side, given that the organization has never experienced a net gain in draft positioning as a result of the lottery. But in this situation, they’re just glad to hold only to the pick and wait for what’s next.
Grant Afseth is a Dallas Mavericks reporter for DallasBasketball.com and an NBA reporter for NBA Analysis Network He previously covered the Indiana Pacers and NBA for CNHI's Kokomo Tribune and various NBA teams for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. Follow him on Twitter (@grantafseth), Facebook (@grantgafseth), and YouTube (@grantafseth).
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