With pick No. 37, the Dallas Mavericks take …
The Dallas Mavericks don’t have a first round pick in the NBA draft on June 20. But don’t fret too much. That pick was traded away to the Atlanta Hawks for the rights to Luka Doncic a year ago, and that turned out pretty well.
The Mavs’ lone pick doesn’t come until No. 37 in the second round. Of course, plenty of shuffling, the potential for trades and surprises makes trying to determine who will be available for Dallas nearly impossible.
But if you’re looking at what the team needs to go along with Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis (besides a major free agent acquisition), it’s a big-bodied, rebounder who can bruise bodies in the paint. Here’s a look at five possible candidates who could be available for Dallas.
With pick No. 37, the Dallas Mavericks select …
Eric Paschall, Villanova
The 6-foot-7, 260 pound power forward was teammates with Mavs guard Jalen Brunson on the Wildcats team that won the 2018 National Championship. He’s known for his defense but also average 16.5 points a game and shot 34% from the 3-point arc. He also had 80 steals and 59 blocks in three seasons with Villanova.
Jontay Porter, Missouri
The sophomore center declared for the draft a year ago before returning for his sophomore season but did not play after tearing his right ACL and MCL. The 6-11, 240 pound prospect is the younger brother of Michael Porter Jr., who is also a Mizzou ex and currently withthe Denver Nuggets.
Jalen McDaniels, San Diego State
The lanky power forward (6-10, 195) averaged 15.9 points and 8.3 rebounds as a sophomore. A lingering legal question, however, may scare off the Mavs. Two women accused McDaniels of recording them performing sex acts and distributing the video through social media while a student at Federal Way High School in Washington in 2016.
Grant Williams, Tennessee
Although only 6-7, the 240 pound power forward was a force in the Southeastern Conference. He averaged 18.8 points and 7.5 rebounds as a junior and won consecutive SEC Player of the Year awards. He also shot 32% from the 3-point arc as a junior. He had a 160 blocks in 104 games in his career.
Tyler Cook, Iowa
The power forward (6-8, 255) averaged 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds as a junior and had an impressive G-League Combine, which helped him earn an invitation to the full NBA Combine. Cook started 92 of 93 games in his career. He shot 54.2% from the field at Iowa but that included just three 3-point attempts. He also had 49 blocks in three seasons.
This story was originally published May 16, 2019 at 12:25 AM.
