Dallas Mavericks: What Does The 2014 Draft Hold?

The Dallas Mavericks, like every other team in the league, are not getting any younger.

After landing ~~(barely)~~ the eighth-seed in the 2013-14 playoffs and taking the eventual 2014 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs to a seven-game thriller, the Mavericks might want to improve their roster.

First-round exits are not exactly what the Dallas-based three years removed NBA champions are about.

Sources say the Mavericks might be looking to add 29-year-old Luol Deng to their rotation for the upcoming season. The Mavericks were the sixth-oldest team in the league behind the San Antonio Spurs (the Miami Heat were the oldest team at 30.4 years).

Adding a 29-year-old small forward, who’s played way more minutes than he should and has had a series of nagging little injuries, might not be the best offseason move for the team’s future.

The Mavericks’ free-agents for the offseason are:

Vince Carter: 37, SG.
Shawn Marion: 36, SF.
DeJuan Blair: 25, PF.
Devin Harris: 31, PG.
Bernard James: 29, C.
Dirk Nowitzki: 36, PF.

Nowitzki’s the only one who’s clearly coming back.

With openings at SG, SF, and maybe PF, who should the Mavericks spend their 34th pick on?

1.Thanasis Antetokounmpo: 21, SF, Delaware 87ers.

Brother of “The Greek Freak,” Giannis Antetokounmpo. At 56/27/75 he would be an average replacement for Shawn Marion and a solid effort coming off the bench. At 21 years ~~old~~ young he still has room for improvement.

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Shooting a whopping 56% from the field and having a fast first step, he’s a menace on the perimeter. Give him space and he’ll burn you with his highly effective shot. Get too close and he’ll slash you in the attack.

Speed and physical strength are two qualities the Mavs, as the sixth-oldest team in the league, can’t overlook.

2. C.J. Wilcox: 23, SG, Washington.

Feb 6, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Washington Huskies guard C.J. Wilcox (23) controls the ball during the first half against the Utah Utes at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /

This 23-year-old shooting guard was responsible for taking the talentless Washington Huskies deep into the Pac-12 tournament. He’s considered a prolific scorer with a true shooting percentage of 60, but he’s regarded as a one-dimensional player since he lacks a defensive presence. He’s not great at spreading the floor or creating offense, two abilities that you’d expect in a shooting guard.

He’s been sidelined by stress fractures two times in his young basketball career, not the best news for a 23-year-old that hasn’t even gotten to the biggest stage.

3. Cleanthony Early: 23, SF/PF, Wichita State.

Mar 23, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Wichita State Shockers forward Cleanthony Early (11) reacts after scoring against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half in the third round of the 2014 NCAA Men /

Cleanthony’s got an undeniable ability to score, shooting 58/38/84 for a top-seeded Wichita State team that went undefeated for 35 games before losing to the eighth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA tournament.

Early’s size resembles one of an average small forward and a below-average power forward. Not good since he’s played at power forward for his entire career.

At 23, he’s already older than 2014 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard so his room for improvement might already be at its highest.

With the 34th pick in the draft the Dallas Mavericks might be in a comfortable situation since the players they’re taking might still sit for a while and develop a better game before they have a bigger impact within the team.

The team’s yet to decide which, if any, of their free-agents they’ll re-sign for the upcoming season.

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