Mavericks 2017 Draft #9

[2011Champs]

I don't know whether it's worse to gamble on foreign talent or just completely fail and pick Shan Foster, Mo Ager, Jared Cunningham. Hopefully Cuban has a better scouting department in place these days.

[Jinra]

Sesay and Sundov were drafted the same year as Dirk. Wang was drafted the year after. and was Donn Nelson's project not Donnie's. Rakovic and Xue were drafted for other teams just like Olynyk and Zeller. Since Dirk was drafted the only foreign guys we used slightly valuable picks on were Roddy B and the Russian center. All the others were second rounders and a lot of teams gamble on foreign players in the second round.

I guess you are purposely ignoring my main points.

But I will play along. Big Donn had no particular interest in foreign players, that was solely Donnie Nelson's brain child. They wrote many articles about Donnie's relations with foreign teams, and him changing the perspective of the NBA towards foreigner-born players. -And, I think that was a great thing. There was even a big ordeal made of Donnie coaching foreign teams against the USA in world play. Nelson brought in ALL of those foreign players to Dallas.

Again, here are my only points in mentioning all of that:
1. Donnie Nelson is a failure at drafting. Trading for Dirk or not.
2. The Mavericks have to do a better job of evaluating and drafting players. According to San Antonio, all picks are valuable.
3. Donnie Nelson has some sort of fetish about foreign born players, that appears to cloud his judgement on evaluating the best possible talent.
4. Obviously Cuban has realized this too, which is why I think he truthfully vetoed Donnie's request to draft Giannis Antetokounmpo.
5. Biggest point of all: I just wanted to tell the masses to stop mentioning every foreign player that resembles Dirk, as if the Dallas Mavericks should just jump on Dirk-a-likes.

While I really, really, really and really love what Dirk did for Dallas, I also really have mixed emotions about the prospect of Dallas being successful bringing in another Dirk. Even if they replicate the last 19 years, including 1 championship. As a fan, I feel like we have done that now already, let's go for something greater. Build a better blueprint. There are teams still more successful than we are, and I want that.

[Texas Chuck]

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[Texas Chuck]

Spoiler:

But I will play along. Big Donn had no particular interest in foreign players, that was solely Donnie Nelson's brain child. They wrote many articles about Donnie's relations with foreign teams, and him changing the perspective of the NBA towards foreigner-born players. -And, I think that was a great thing. There was even a big ordeal made of Donnie coaching foreign teams against the USA in world play. Nelson brought in ALL of those foreign players to Dallas.

Again, here are my only points in mentioning all of that:
1. Donnie Nelson is a failure at drafting. Trading for Dirk or not.
2. The Mavericks have to do a better job of evaluating and drafting players. According to San Antonio, all picks are valuable.
3. Donnie Nelson has some sort of fetish about foreign born players, that appears to cloud his judgement on evaluating the best possible talent.
4. Obviously Cuban has realized this too, which is why I think he truthfully vetoed Donnie's request to draft Giannis Antetokounmpo.
5. Biggest point of all: I just wanted to tell the masses to stop mentioning every foreign player that resembles Dirk, as if the Dallas Mavericks should just jump on Dirk-a-likes.

While I really, really, really and really love what Dirk did for Dallas, I also really have mixed emotions about the prospect of Dallas being successful bringing in another Dirk. Even if they replicate the last 19 years, including 1 championship. As a fan, I feel like we have done that now already, let's go for something greater. Build a better blueprint. There are teams still more successful than we are, and I want that.

Really good post. Couple small things that are mostly picking nits.

1. Identifying Dirk should buy you a lot of grace for the misses. This is a superstar league and you can hit a bunch of doubles and triples, but its really hard to get a franchise guy like Dirk especially all the way down at #6 (I know Dirk was taken at #9, but we started at #6 and obviously pick Dirk if we couldn't squeeze value out of the Bucks)

2. I wish I knew who was really the brainchild of the Mavs's team-building strategy once they starting winning. Because clearly the organization choose to use draft picks as trade currency and continually added talent by taking on "bad" contracts and by throwing around 1sts. And when you win 50+ every year I don't care about them dumping picks. Yeah you can hit on guys down there, but the odds are against you and continuing to plug good veterans in every year is a great strategy when you have a franchise player the level of Dirk.



Now that said, I agree with you we need a new plan. That plan worked because of Dirk but those days are done now. We need to start drafting smart and building up an asset base. Maybe we never hit in the lottery but we want to have assets when a disgruntled star hits the trade market, or have a core in place to attract free agents. I know we are embittered because we get meetings with top free agents almost every summer but don't land any---but we can't take that for granted. How many teams would kill just to get meetings? And whatever mediocre team but us even gets them regularly?

[Jinra]

Really good post. Couple small things that are mostly picking nits.

1. Identifying Dirk should buy you a lot of grace for the misses. This is a superstar league and you can hit a bunch of doubles and triples, but its really hard to get a franchise guy like Dirk especially all the way down at #6 (I know Dirk was taken at #9, but we started at #6 and obviously pick Dirk if we couldn't squeeze value out of the Bucks)

2. I wish I knew who was really the brainchild of the Mavs's team-building strategy once they starting winning. Because clearly the organization choose to use draft picks as trade currency and continually added talent by taking on "bad" contracts and by throwing around 1sts. And when you win 50+ every year I don't care about them dumping picks. Yeah you can hit on guys down there, but the odds are against you and continuing to plug good veterans in every year is a great strategy when you have a franchise player the level of Dirk.



Now that said, I agree with you we need a new plan. That plan worked because of Dirk but those days are done now. We need to start drafting smart and building up an asset base. Maybe we never hit in the lottery but we want to have assets when a disgruntled star hits the trade market, or have a core in place to attract free agents. I know we are embittered because we get meetings with top free agents almost every summer but don't land any---but we can't take that for granted. How many teams would kill just to get meetings? And whatever mediocre team but us even gets them regularly?

Yes, and I am really not trying to pick those nits. *that's awesome btw.

I appreciate all the 50 win seasons and the championship, for sure. I am wishing to move us to the next level for about 7-8 years, were we get past the 2 round every year. I want that badly. I am ready for more than just making the playoffs. I am ready to be a powerhouse.

I hope that doesn't make me seem spoiled.

[Texas Chuck]

I am ready for more than just making the playoffs. I am ready to be a powerhouse.

I hope that doesn't make me seem spoiled.

Hey we are lucky to have been spoiled. And I'm right there with you.

[The Sparest]

1. Identifying Dirk should buy you a lot of grace for the misses. This is a superstar league and you can hit a bunch of doubles and triples, but its really hard to get a franchise guy like Dirk especially all the way down at #6 (I know Dirk was taken at #9, but we started at #6 and obviously pick Dirk if we couldn't squeeze value out of the Bucks)

2. I wish I knew who was really the brainchild of the Mavs's team-building strategy once they starting winning. Because clearly the organization choose to use draft picks as trade currency and continually added talent by taking on "bad" contracts and by throwing around 1sts. And when you win 50+ every year I don't care about them dumping picks. Yeah you can hit on guys down there, but the odds are against you and continuing to plug good veterans in every year is a great strategy when you have a franchise player the level of Dirk.



Now that said, I agree with you we need a new plan. That plan worked because of Dirk but those days are done now. We need to start drafting smart and building up an asset base. Maybe we never hit in the lottery but we want to have assets when a disgruntled star hits the trade market, or have a core in place to attract free agents. I know we are embittered because we get meetings with top free agents almost every summer but don't land any---but we can't take that for granted. How many teams would kill just to get meetings? And whatever mediocre team but us even gets them regularly?

Donnie has shown an ability to spot talent. Greg Buckner, Etan Thomas, Devin Harris, Josh Howard, Roddy B (health aside), Jae Crowder, and Justin Anderson. As well as finding guys like JJ, Brandon Bass, Aminu and Brandan Wright on the FA scrap heap. Mejri and Brussino are also showing some promise as useful pieces.

I think were things went wrong was when they started drafting for need over BPA. Ager, Foster, Fazeckas, Larkin, Sarge, etc. I think that has to do with Cuban prioritizing "win now" moves over everything else. I know it is easy and popular to place all of the blame on Donnie, but Cubes needs to own his part in this as well.

[Johnny Bball]

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That makes little sense to me. This is a deep draft but it's not filled with top talent anywhere. Dennis Smith might be the best.

[Dirk]

That makes little sense to me. This is a deep draft but it's not filled with top talent anywhere. Dennis Smith might be the best.

Cuban likes to talk out of both sides of his mouth. Just the other week he was saying something along the lines of what you're saying.

[Johnny Bball]

That makes little sense to me. This is a deep draft but it's not filled with top talent anywhere. Dennis Smith might be the best.

Cuban likes to talk out of both sides of his mouth. Just the other week he was saying something along the lines of what you're saying.

Thanks. Always been a big Cuban fan but I don't follow him that close.

[Dirk]

That makes little sense to me. This is a deep draft but it's not filled with top talent anywhere. Dennis Smith might be the best.

Cuban likes to talk out of both sides of his mouth. Just the other week he was saying something along the lines of what you're saying.

Thanks. Always been a big Cuban fan but I don't follow him that close.

This is what I was referring to: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18152334/dallas-mavericks-owner-mark-cuban-disagrees-saying-team-season-lost-cause On one hand he tried to dismiss the value of 'tanking' and now you have him putting an extreme high valuation on the draft pick. But it's good that he values the draft pick, some still feared he would trade it away for some short-sighted move.

[Pinkyring]

We just need to unload some of these vets for assets, im sure we could get a last 1st for bogut, williams and bsrea may have some value as a contender, the only guys i care to keep are matthews, barnes and curry, maybe anderson

[Darren]

We just need to unload some of these vets for assets, im sure we could get a last 1st for bogut, williams and bsrea may have some value as a contender, the only guys i care to keep are matthews, barnes and curry, maybe anderson

If we were to be relevant again, I think we've to trade Powell and Curry. Their pick-n-roll defense are awful to watch with. If we were to pick Fultz, we'd better trade Wes by mid-season. And we may as well trade Anderson, Bogut and something for Noel. D Will and something for Ibaka also makes sense.

[Dirk]

We just need to unload some of these vets for assets, im sure we could get a last 1st for bogut, williams and bsrea may have some value as a contender, the only guys i care to keep are matthews, barnes and curry, maybe anderson

Not sure if I'm the only one, but I do not care for Curry. Just looks like a player who doesn't have the right mentality to actually seize a great opportunity that he has with the Mavs.

He has an act of someone who is actually someone in the league. But maybe I'm seeing things (he has taken a few charges lately), but in general, too lackadaisical and not nearly as aggressive as I imagined he would be.

[Jinra]

Not sure if I'm the only one, but I do not care for Curry. Just looks like a player who doesn't have the right mentality to actually seize a great opportunity that he has with the Mavs.

He has an act of someone who is actually someone in the league. But maybe I'm seeing things (he has taken a few charges lately), but in general, too lackadaisical and not nearly as aggressive as I imagined he would be.

I feel the same way about Curry. Nothing special right now. He has the pedigree, but cannot maximize the potential.

I have already stated that everyone on this roster, except Harrison Barnes, is available for trade talk.

[Lord Cuban]

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[Suka Bongcic]

Seth curry is garbage. Too weak and slow. A complete liability on the defensive end. Can't have that in today's NBA (especially PGs) unless you're a grade A scorer/creator. He is not. Fultz would be a dream come true. Dennis smith would fit the bill as would Lorenzo Ball if we don't get the 1st pick. I can't see any team passing on Fultz with the first pick

[fuller4379]

We got the wrong Cousins and wrong Curry.

[2011Champs]

Not sure if I'm the only one, but I do not care for Curry. Just looks like a player who doesn't have the right mentality to actually seize a great opportunity that he has with the Mavs.

He has an act of someone who is actually someone in the league. But maybe I'm seeing things (he has taken a few charges lately), but in general, too lackadaisical and not nearly as aggressive as I imagined he would be.

I feel the same way about Curry. Nothing special right now. He has the pedigree, but cannot maximize the potential.

I have already stated that everyone on this roster, except Harrison Barnes, is available for trade talk.

If a team made an offer too good to refuse I'd trade Barnes. He isn't on prime Dirk level.

[N8N]

My heart would almost tell me to trade down and pick Lauri Markkanen and hope maybe he could step in and at least be 70% of Dirk?
My brain would tell me not to pass up on Jackson, Fultz or Ball.

If Cuban somehow manages to not trade our pick, there is going to be a heavy burden on all involved in the decision process. Hopefully Cuban will listen to the basketball minds around him.

There is no way I trade away the #1 pick. I draft Fultz there and if someone wants to pry him away, then they had better make an AMAZINGLY good offer.


If we end up at 2 or lower, then I would be more willing to trade down, but I would still lean BPA, unless a very good offer was made.

Yep, if you get the #1 pick, you draft Fultz. If he busts, then he busts, but he's looked the best out of that class so far.

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