NBA Rumors: Dallas Mavericks Reportedly Willing To Trade Up For Lottery Pick In 2020 Draft

According to a new report, the Dallas Mavericks are interested in adding another selection in the 2020 NBA Draft by trading up for a lottery pick.

Citing a members’ only report from Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, Bleacher Report wrote the Mavericks have apparently placed all their players on the trading block, with the exception of their top two scorers, Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. This is supposedly in an effort to move into the top 14 of this year’s draft, thus giving the organization an additional, potentially more promising pick to add to the No. 18 and No. 31 selections.

The publication also noted that per Townsend, Mavericks president and general manager Donnie Nelson has informed his fellow executives that his team urgently wants to add a “third star” to play alongside Doncic and Porzingis. This comes several months after reports speculated the club could use its existing draft choices to sweeten any potential offseason deal for another top-tier player.

Thanks in large part to the play of the two European stars, the Mavericks entered the playoffs earlier this year, marking their first postseason stint since 2016. In only his second season in the NBA, Doncic averaged a near triple-double, registering 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game. Porzingis, who sat out the entire 2018-19 season as he recovered from a torn ACL, also had a strong year for the Mavs, averaging 20.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and two blocks.

In a separate story, CBS Sports observed that Dallas’ rumored plan to move up for a lottery selection should be “somewhat attainable” and could allow the organization to use the No. 18 and No. 31 choices in future transactions as it searches for another proven star player.

“This draft is not viewed as particularly top-heavy, but it has depth,” wrote the outlet’s Sam Quinn.

“That makes the higher pick they’d like to acquire less valuable than it would be in a normal draft, but their own picks more valuable. If necessary, they have tradeable first-round picks in 2025 and 2027 to include as well.”

Although it wasn’t made clear whether the Mavericks are planning to move up to the first or the second half of the lottery, recent mock drafts have listed a number of prospects who could be chosen 18th overall. As compiled by SB Nation‘s Mavs Moneyball, the likes of New Zealand Breakers guard R.J. Hampton, French point guard Theo Maledon, and Arizona Wildcats wingman Josh Green are among the likely options at No. 18.