Dallas Mavericks: Complete 2018 offseason grades

Trading up to draft Luka Doncic

Despite going into draft night with the No. 5 selection, the Mavericks left the Barclay’s Center with arguably the best player in Luka Doncic. They traded their selection, along with a top-five protected first round pick in 2019 to the Atlanta Hawks, who held the third overall pick, where Doncic was available.

I’ve outlined why Doncic was the perfect choice here, but his fit alongside Dennis Smith Jr. in the backcourt is the biggest reason why. The 19-year-old is a skilled passer and can space the floor, allowing the high-flying Smith to make plays inside the paint.

He also offers head coach Rick Carlisle a diverse assortment of lineup choices with his 6’7″ height. In the age of small-ball, Carlisle has noted the benefits of playing Doncic as a stretch-4.

The reigning EuroLeague MVP was unable to participate in Summer League. This might have been for the best as he is coming off a long EuroLeague season in which he led Real Madrid to a championship, and could potentially injure himself in a meaningless game.

The Mavericks didn’t trade for Doncic to watch him play in Summer League, but the playoffs. Time will tell if Doncic is the true the European heir-apparent to Dirk Nowitzki.

Grade: A