Dallas Mavericks: Backcourt Now Priority In Draft

By Christian Blood | Jun 25, 2015

Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; A general view of the stage before the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

The 2015 NBA Draft in Brooklyn is upon us, and following this week’s events it’s clear that the Dallas Mavericks could go in any direction they choose in the player selection get-together.

The long awaited decision of shooting guard Monta Ellis finally came on Wednesday – as expected, Ellis will opt out of his contract in favor of a bigger payday, thus meaning that he’ll play elsewhere next season.

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I wrote earlier this week that point guard was a dire position of need for the Mavs. At this point, it looks like the entire back court will be getting a complete overhaul.

No, the Mavericks don’t have to take any position in particular, but with names like power forward Dirk Nowitzki and small forward Chandler Parsons expected to contribute significantly next season, it would certainly appear that a stripped down backcourt will get some serious attention during the draft – the opting in for ’15 by Raymond Felton earlier this week changes little, if anything, concerning the Mavs.

There’s no way to know exactly what players will be available for Dallas once they choose first at pick No. 21, but clearly shooting guards will be of greater interest than they might have been just hours ago.

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Losing Ellis certainly opens up cap space for next season, however the Mavericks also lose their fourth-quarter closer of the last couple of seasons and certainly a player who can drive the line extremely well.

Yes, there’s some rather large shoes to fill, either via the draft or free agency, the latter set to begin July 1.

It’s entirely possible that Dallas looks intently for versatility in the draft, especially in the backcourt. Players like Delon Wright of Utah and Jerian Grant of Notre Dame can certainly play the 1, but could also, both standing 6’5”, operate at shooting guard in time to make an impact next season.

Having said that, the shooting guard position may actually emerge as the preferred target for the Mavericks at the Barclays Center. When considering the presence of Felton and Devin Harris for next season, it’s not like the point guard position is completely void.

This could open the door for true shooting guard prospects like R.J. Hunter, whose 3-point range at Georgia State is well documented. Rashad Vaughn of UNLV and Norman Powell of UCLA could also be candidates to replace Ellis sooner than later, although this would probably be later.

Or, maybe the draft is just another exercise in creating leverage for additional veteran talent – it’s no secret that owner Mark Cuban has really never placed a high priority on youth during his reign as Mavericks owner. It’s hard to blame him, given the success that the franchise has enjoyed since the new millennium.

So long as Nowitzki, the 2011 NBA Finals MVP, isn’t yet on crutches, Cuban will try as hard as possible to keep Dallas in contention with the 7-foot tall German sharpshooter as the face of the franchise.

Nonetheless, the time has come for the Mavs to get into the game of rebuilding, or seriously renovating. The ’15 NBA Draft has to be the starting point with free agency coming up in less than a week.

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