Texas guard could make sense for Mavs

The Dallas Mavericks could be linked to a Texas Longhorns star in the NBA Draft.

Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson high fives Xavier Musketeers head coach Sean Miller. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks will be searching for a potential new lead guard this summer with Kyrie Irving expected to miss most of the season recovering from a torn ACL.

ESPN draft analyst Jeremy Woo thinks Texas guard Tre Johnson could be one of the top rookies in the draft this summer, and that could lead to him being chosen by the Mavs.

READ MORE: Grizzlies saved Mavericks from embarrassment against Thunder

Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson shoots the ball over Xavier Musketeers guard Dailyn Swain. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Johnson could stay in Texas

"There are questions for Johnson to answer in the predraft process that will play a role in where he is selected: Scouts wonder at times how directly his ball-dominant style translates to winning, and whether he'll be willing to defer and play more of a secondary scoring role in the NBA. Those concerns were abetted by the fact he shot 44.9% on 2-point attempts this season, a concerning number, particularly for a player with his usage level," Woo wrote.

"He is not a consistent defender either, placing greater significance on whether Johnson can be efficient, sharpen his shot selection and learn to make teammates better.

"Ultimately, Johnson's youth and demonstrable talent will make him an attractive lottery target. How he handles the interview and workout circuit will be an important factor in determining whether he can move into the top five."

There is a good chance Johnson will be off the board by the time the Mavs pick in the draft, but if he is available, he should be one of the top options for Dallas to select with its first choice.

READ MORE: Defense can win championships, but the Mavericks have the wrong personnel

Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the offseason

Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Austin Veazey on Twitter

More Dallas Mavericks News

• Mavericks receive positive Kyrie Irving injury update

• Mark Cuban fires back at Mavericks' Nico Harrison after Dirk Nowitzki disrespect

• NBA analyst takes vicious shot at Mavericks’ Nico Harrison

• Full transcript from Mavericks GM Nico Harrison's polarizing secret media conference