Mavs trade down in NBA Draft, acquire Dereck Lively II
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 22: Cason Wallace (R) poses with NBA commissioner Adam Silver (L) after being drafted tenth overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks during the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2023 in the Brookly
DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks made a handful of moves to improve their roster during Thursday night’s NBA Draft.
As many experts predicted, the team traded its top pick.
Dallas chose guard Cason Wallace with the 10th pick. He played at Richardson High School and the University of Kentucky.
But minutes later, the Mavs traded Wallace to Oklahoma City for Dereck Lively II.
Lively is a 7-foot-2-inch center from Duke who’s known for his great defense.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 22: Dereck Lively II (R) poses with NBA commissioner Adam Silver (L) after being drafted 12th overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2023 in the
"Nico, GM, was sold on selecting him. And in making a decision to move back and getting him, and once our GM made that decision, we were all on board in trying to make it happen. Kept our fingers crossed that the team between 10 and 12 didn't take him. And it all worked out for us. We were all happy about the pick," said Michael Finley, the Mavs’ assistant general manager.
The Mavs also traded forward Davis Bertrans to Oklahoma City. That allowed the team to make another trade with the Sacramento Kings.
Dallas acquired center Richard Holmes and the No. 24 pick in the draft – forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper from Marquette University.
After the draft ended, the team reportedly signed TCU’s Mike Miles Jr. to a two-way contract.
That will give the guard from Lancaster High School a chance to play for the Mavs next season. But he’ll likely get a lot of playing time in the NBA G-League.
Miles averaged about 18 points a game for the Horned Frogs last season and led TCU to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
North Texas players selected in NBA Draft
Wallace and Miles were not the only North Texans who made the jump to the NBA.
The Orlando Magic drafted Anthony Black with the sixth overall pick. He played at both Coppell and Duncanville High Schools.
The Utah Jazz selected Baylor’s Keyonte George at No. 16. He spent time at Lewisville High School.
Red Oak High School’s Marcus Sasser went to the Memphis Grizzlies at pick No. 25.
In the second round, Sacramento took Jordan Walsh of Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy.
And Denton Guyer’s Jalen Wilson went to the Brooklyn Nets.