Dallas Mavericks
One of few teams starting a rebuild with a first ballot Hall of Famer on the roster. The days of MVP level Dirk Nowitzki leading the Mavs into the playoffs are behind us now and the days of Harrison Barnes leading the Mavs into the playoffs may never arrive, which is a problem considering he has another two years left on his monster contract.
It’s time for the Mavs to stop offering max contracts to fringe all-stars and start focusing on building through the draft. Flipping the 5th pick and a future first-rounder for the rights to draft Luka Doncic was a risky move, but one that very well may pay off. If Doncic is as NBA-ready as many scouts believe losing that additional first rounder may not sting as much.
With their second-round pick, the Mavs scooped up two-time NCAA champion and former National Player of the Year, Jalen Brunson. They weren’t done there, the 54th pick was traded to Philadelphia for the 56th and 60th picks which turned into Ray Spalding and Kostas Antetokounmpo, younger brother of all-star Giannis. Dallas is brimming with young potential after the draft.
Verdict: Rebuild