NBA Mock Draft: Mavs Land Dynamic Defensive Talent in Latest Projection

It still remains to be seen what the 2023 NBA Draft order will be since the lottery will take place on May 16 in Chicago. The Dallas Mavericks hold the 10th best odds for the No. 1 overall pick, but the potential outcomes that arise from ping pong balls determining outcomes are endless.

Due to the Mavs' 2023 first-round pick conveying to the New York Knicks if it falls outside of the top 10, there is a 20.8-percent chance that Dallas doesn't even get a pick to work with. There is also a 3.0-percent chance that the Mavs end up with the 1st overall pick. Regardless, none of this may even matter if the team opts to trade its selection.

In the event that the Mavs stay put and choose to make a selection using the 10th overall pick, there would be a variety of intriguing prospects for them to consider. In ESPN's latest NBA mock draft, the Mavs use the 10th overall pick to select Taylor Hendricks, a versatile forward out of UCF.

Taylor Hendricks is a name to keep an eye on for the Mavs if they keep their pick. Seems like a guy who could help out immediately. https://t.co/yf17YCBqEq
— Dalton Trigg (@dalton_trigg) April 11, 2023

"There appears to be a very real chance Hendricks vaults into the top 10, cementing an incredible rise for a player who began this season far from the one-and-done radar," Jeremy Woo wrote. "Because of his size (6-9), shooting ability (39% from 3), defensive chops and understanding of his role, Hendricks looks like a safe bet to provide lottery value as an efficient stretch big who's willing to play physically on the interior."

Hendricks played just one season at UCF before declaring for the NBA Draft. He is coming off a Freshman campaign averaging 15.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. He shot 47.8 percent from the floor and 39.4 percent from 3-point range.

Woo sees Hendricks as being a fit with "any NBA rotation" due to his complementary skill-set on offense and defense, but particularly with the Mavs, the potential for an immediate impact in key areas is present. Dallas was plagued by a lack of frontcourt defensive versatility, so it's easy to see how such a selection of this kind could help.

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