Dallas Mavericks: 2019 NBA Draft Lottery odds

Although the chances are slim, the Dallas Mavericks have a chance or having a top-five draft pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

After a 2018-19 campaign filled with trade drama, injuries, and a future Hall-of-Famer playing in his final season, the Dallas Mavericks had a roller coaster of a season. As they look to build their roster toward making the playoffs next season, the draft may not be a place they are able to do that.

Last year in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Mavericks traded Trae Young and the rights to their 2019 first round pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Luka Doncic.

The 2019 first round pick the Mavericks traded away is top-five protected, meaning if they end up with a top-five pick in the upcoming lottery, they keep their pick. If this does happen, the Hawks would then receive a future first round pick from the Mavericks instead. The future first round pick is top-five protected in 2020, top-three protected in 2021 and 2022, and unprotected in 2023.

On June 20, the 2019 NBA Draft will take place in Brooklyn. Dallas ended the 2018-19 season in a three-way tie with the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans, all with a record of 33-49.

Upon random drawing to break the tie, the Mavericks had unfortunate luck and lost the tiebreaker with both teams, resulting in them having the ninth-best odds at the top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery.

Overall, this leaves Dallas with a 26 percent chance of landing a top-five pick and being able to draft one of the top prospects coming out of college. With the ninth slot in the lottery, here’s how their odds shake out pick-by-pick:

• No. 1: 4.5%
• No. 2: 4.8%
• No. 3: 5.2%
• No. 4: 5.7%
• No. 9: 50.7% (conveys)
• No. 10: 25.9% (conveys)
• No. 11: 3.0% (conveys)
• No. 12: 0.1% (conveys)
• No. 13: 0.0% (conveys)

Whether they keep their 2019 first round pick or end up having to give it up, the Dallas Mavericks should feel confident in their decision to trade for Luka Doncic. Presumably the Rookie of the Year for the 2018-19 season, “Wonder Boy” has a bright future ahead of him and could end up being one of the best players in the NBA down the road.

Since becoming a team in 1980, the Dallas Mavericks have had seven top-five draft selections. These picks include:

• Trae Young (No. 5 in 2018)
• Jason Kidd (No. 2 in 1994)
• Jamal Mashburn (No. 4 in 1993)
• Jim Jackson (No. 4 in 1992)
• Sam Perkins (No. 4 in 1984)
• Bill Garnett (No. 4 in 1982)
• Mark Aguirre (No. 1 in 1981)

The Mavericks have not made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season, in which they were beaten by the Oklahoma City Thunder in just five games. It seems that with their young duo in Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, they are only one or two pieces away from being a future contender.

Dallas plans on signing a big-name free agent this summer, and bringing in a top-five draft pick to go along with the young duo already in place would only entice more free agents to look at Dallas as a desirable destination.

Although only a 4.5 percent chance, the Mavericks could get lucky and receive the No. 1 overall pick and take Zion Williamson out of Duke. As farfetched as that is, crazier things have happened in the NBA. Mavericks fans can dream, right?

Will the Dallas Mavericks have the opportunity to have their eighth top-five draft pick in the history of their franchise? We will find out on Tuesday.