Mavericks pick up three in yesterday's NBA draft
The Mavs turned one pick into three yesterday. We will not know if this was a successful draft until the season starts or even years down the road, but I like the fact that Donnie Nelson and Mark Cuban had a plan going in and picked up three potential NBA players. At the least, the odds are in their favor. Even if only one of three pan out, this was a successful draft.
Here is how the Mavs were able to turn the one pick (22nd pick in 1st round) into three picks, actually four if you count the one that they retained for 2010 (a second-rounder from Oklahoma City):
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Traded No. 22 down to Portland for No. 24, and No. 56, plus Portland’s second-rounder in 2010.
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Traded No. 24 down to OKC for No. 25 and Oklahoma City’s second-rounder in 2010.
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Traded Portland’s second-rounder in 2010 plus cash for Minnesota’s No. 45.
So with the three picks, they selected:
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First Round - Pick #25: Rodrigue Beaubois from France.
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Second Round - Pick #45: Nick Calathes out of Florida.
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Second Round - Pick #56: Ahmad Nivins out of St. Josephs.
I think Calathes is a great pick that they basically got for nothing. He has already signed a contract to play in the Greek league next season, but the great thing is that the Mavericks get to see what he has to offer for free. If they choose, they can bring him in for the 2010-2011 season and see if he really is the PG of the future.
The steal here, might have been Ahmad Nivins, a 6-9, 242 lbs, power forward that averaged 19.2 points and 11.8 rebounds his senior year at St. Joseph's.
The real question here is Rodrigue Beaubois. The good news is that the Mavs had him here in Dallas and were personally able to see him in action. They were so impressed with his athletism that, as they have admitted, their plan from the beginning was to draft him. It would be interesting to know if that would of held true had Ty Lawson or Eric Maynor fallen to the 24th.
According to Carlisle, Beaubois will be in town today and will be playing with their summer team.
I was a little upset that the Mavs didn't move up in the second round to select Pitts' DeJuan Bleir. The Spurs were smart enough to pick him up with the 37th pick.
