10. Dallas Mavericks – Nick Smith Jr., G, Arkansas
With the pressure of a franchise upon the shoulders of the Dallas Mavericks as they make a decision of what to do with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, nothing will be easy. Will they trade this pick for a potential difference-maker? Will they try to package this pick and trade up for a more surefire prospect? Anything is on the table for the Mavs, but if they do keep this pick and make this selection, I’d have to imagine that they will be looking to take quite the gamble.
One prospect that would make sense as a player that has a high ceiling at this point in the NBA Draft is Nick Smith Jr. There aren’t many that would argue against the fact that the’s a top 5 talent. Coming out of high school, he was sitting atop his class. However, due to injuries and a less-than-stellar freshman season at Arkansas, there’s a chance that Smith could fall out of the top 10.
Dallas shouldn’t let that happen. If he’s there, he’s a player that fits exactly what they’ll be looking for when it comes to taking a shot on elite talent. The big question is whether or not they would want to take another guard. And that’s understandable. But from a talent perspective, Smith could be viewed as an absolute steal at this point in the draft.