Dallas Mavericks: Complete grades for the 2019 NBA offseason
By Phil Watson
Trading for Isaiah Roby
The Dallas Mavericks entered the NBA Draft without a first-round pick, having surrendered it to the Atlanta Hawks in last year’s trade for the rights to Luka Doncic after it did not land in the top five.
With their second-round selection at No. 37 overall, the Mavericks tabbed Lithuanian wing Deividas Sirvydis and promptly sent his rights to the Detroit Pistons to get the rights to 45th overall pick Isaiah Roby as well as second-round picks in 2020 (originally from the Utah Jazz) and 2021 (from the Portland Trail Blazers).
Roby, a bulky 6-foot-8 forward from the University of Nebraska, entered the draft after a solid, but not spectacular, junior season for the Cornhuskers. Roby averaged 11.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals in 31.2 minutes per game, shooting 45.4 percent overall and 33.3 percent on 2.4 3-point attempts a game.
He averaged only 9.3 shots a game for Nebraska last season, but the increased volume from the 5.3 he attempted as a sophomore resulted in a drastic dip in efficiency. Roby had shot 56.5 percent overall and 40.5 percent on 1.3 deep tries a game in 2017-18.
Roby was a bit foul-prone in five outings for the Mavericks in the Las Vegas Summer League, but averaged 8.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals in 27.6 minutes per game, shooting 42.9 percent overall and going 3-for-13 from long range,
Roby projects as a combo forward, the “tweener” that is more readily able to adapt to the pace-and-space style of play prevalent in the NBA than in past iterations of the game, with the ability to defend in space as well as protect the rim well.
The Mavericks have yet to get Roby signed to a contract and have 14 guaranteed contracts on their cap sheet at present, plus the cap holds that remain for Dirk Nowitzki, Devin Harris and Salah Mejri. Dallas has also signed Dakota Mathias to an Exhibit 10 contract for camp.
With Antonius Cleveland and Josh Reaves already signing two-way contracts, Roby will likely get a standard contract at some point, unless the Mavericks plan to stash him overseas or with the Texas Legends in the G League.
Signing Roby into that last open roster spot would cost the Mavs some flexibility, so it may be that we don’t see the 21-year-old in Dallas until 2020-21.