2023 DRAFT: Mavs take Lively, OMP, sign Mike Miles to 2-way, sign Jordan Walker

[ThisIStheYear]

Another great game from Coulibaly today. The 18 year old is stringing them together now leading his team to the finals. And he does look bigger than some of the highlights from earlier in the season, though 230 is hard to believe. I’ve seen enough. He’s the one.

[JamesConway912]

#TeamCoulibaly

[Luka77]

Multiple outlets have him at 230 lbs which carrying on a 6'6 frame isn't hard for a non professional player. I could see him being that weight bc like I said he carries a lot of it in his lower half.

Regardless I hope someone is getting his actual measurements.

[IamDougieFresh]

My favorite source for scouting videos is releasing his Coulibaly video at 11pm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTgTyA04dWg

[Chicagojk]

Will Bilal be able to workout for a lot of teams? He is playing in the playoffs in France. Will make it a really interesting evaluation.

[Dirknows]

Seen a few mocks where Walker makes it to 10. I'll be a little pissed if they were to pass on him at 10, though I doubt they would as that would mean players were taken higher than expected.

[omahen]

https://twitter.com/All_Things_Mavs/stat...1881755648

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https://twitter.com/MavsFilmRoom/status/...5286549506

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

https://twitter.com/All_Things_Mavs/stat...1881755648

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Interesting.
I have Black as the 5th best player in this draft.
No way he falls to 10.
If he's there at 10 and the Mavs decide to pass on him for a trade down, I'd be in every social media platform petitioning for Nico's firing.
At this point, I'd take him over Hendricks or Walker.

IMHo, Black just fills a lot of holes on the Mavs:
* point of attack defender (I think he is at least, at par with Wallace).
* at 6-7 you can classify him as a wing, and can ably guard 2s and smaller 3s.
* he is a very physical for a guard, if you have him and Luka on the floor, you can just imagine the aches and bruises those two can dish out on smaller guards.
* his 3 point shooting isn't there yet, and I don't see a broken form, he'd improve on it.
* cuts to the basket as well as any wing, ending on dunks.
* Mavs need a third playmaker regardless if Kyrie stays or not.
* he is a good rebounding guard
* he is a big PG, and he isn't just a ballhandler but he is a true facilitator.

Right of the bat, AB is a mix of Josh Giddey and Lonzo Ball.
I'd trade up for that kind of player.

[omahen]

Interesting.
I have Black as the 5th best player in this draft.
No way he falls to 10.
If he's there at 10 and the Mavs decide to pass on him for a trade down, I'd be in every social media platform petitioning for Nico's firing.
At this point, I'd take him over Hendricks or Walker.

IMHo, Black just fills a lot of holes on the Mavs:
* point of attack defender (I think he is at least, at par with Wallace).
* at 6-7 you can classify him as a wing, and can ably guard 2s and smaller 3s.
* he is a very physical for a guard, if you have him and Luka on the floor, you can just imagine the aches and bruises those two can dish out on smaller guards.
* his 3 point shooting isn't there yet, and I don't see a broken form, he'd improve on it.
* cuts to the basket as well as any wing, ending on dunks.
* Mavs need a third playmaker regardless if Kyrie stays or not.
* he is a good rebounding guard
* he is a big PG, and he isn't just a ballhandler but he is a true facilitator.

Right of the bat, AB is a mix of Josh Giddey and Lonzo Ball.
I'd trade up for that kind of player.

I am sure Mavs will work out a lot of players. Because they are interested, because they are doing a favor to the agent or for whatever other reason. Just for some reason, they prefer to keep it as a secret, who they are working out

[ItsGoTime]

Interesting.
I have Black as the 5th best player in this draft.
No way he falls to 10.
If he's there at 10 and the Mavs decide to pass on him for a trade down, I'd be in every social media platform petitioning for Nico's firing.
At this point, I'd take him over Hendricks or Walker.

IMHo, Black just fills a lot of holes on the Mavs:
* point of attack defender (I think he is at least, at par with Wallace).
* at 6-7 you can classify him as a wing, and can ably guard 2s and smaller 3s.
* he is a very physical for a guard, if you have him and Luka on the floor, you can just imagine the aches and bruises those two can dish out on smaller guards.
* his 3 point shooting isn't there yet, and I don't see a broken form, he'd improve on it.
* cuts to the basket as well as any wing, ending on dunks.
* Mavs need a third playmaker regardless if Kyrie stays or not.
* he is a good rebounding guard
* he is a big PG, and he isn't just a ballhandler but he is a true facilitator.

Right of the bat, AB is a mix of Josh Giddey and Lonzo Ball.
I'd trade up for that kind of player.

Ya, I have Black, Walker and Hendricks as must pick if 1 of them falls. Wish we could have someone like Black say they only want to play for the Mavs like how the Lakers got gifted Kobe and Reaves.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I am sure Mavs will work out a lot of players. Because they are interested, because they are doing a favor to the agent...

In this case Duffy

[ItsGoTime]

I think Hendricks might be my favorite to drop. I think he already is Maxi who might be able to play more minutes than him, but his ceiling is JJJ (hopefully less injured as well). He would be a day 1 starter in a position of huge need for us IMO. If we keep Maxi, that is the perfect backup to him too.

[DanSchwartzgan]

My favorite source for scouting videos is releasing his Coulibaly video at 11pm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTgTyA04dWg

Thanks for posting that.  You watch the first half and it's OMG, he's amazing.  You watch the second half and you wonder if he can overcome the offensive limitations.  

That hardest thing on these defensive studs with underdeveloped offensive games is projecting their shots.  Coach Spin had an article from a few months back where he noted that no NBA finals team had a non-center starter who couldn't hit 3's at an average clip (or something like that).  

This guy has all the defensive wings going early, Ausar Thompson to the Jazz at 9 and Lively to Dallas at 10 in his latest mock.  After that its:

Dick/Orlando
L. Miller/OKC
CoulibalyToronto
Bufkin/Pelicans
Wallace/Atlanta (Why Atlanta might be willing to move to 10 in a trade up)
Clowney/Utah

I go through all of this because Clowney is a big riser on his board and who I picked in the prediction game for Dallas to take at 15 or 16 in a trade down.  Small Ball 5 and a PF if he develops his shot (and the shot actually looks good).  I think there is a lot of upside here if he's an average NBA 3 point shooter.  But, you won't project that based on FT%.  You have to look at the form.

[Chicagojk]

Mavs fans, the front office has heard you. Finally figured out you need more Powell’s, not less.

https://twitter.com/all_things_mavs/stat...19969?s=61&t=-aAylloVlVRI2-DRvoajoA

[omahen]

This guy has lots of info who worked out for Mavs

https://twitter.com/All_Things_Mavs

[Chicagojk]

This guy has lots of info who worked out for Mavs

https://twitter.com/All_Things_Mavs

It seems Mavs did several workouts with priority UDFA guys a few weeks ago.  I am glad they did.  It certainly doesn't hurt to bring people in.   Ideally, you bring a handful at a time and see them workout against each other. 

Most of the first round draft picks weren't working out until after the combine and once the draft order was set.   You are starting to see these workouts.   In such an wide open draft, I will be disappointed if Dallas doesn't work out most of the prospects in the 6-25 range.   Mavs just can't focus on the top 12 guys.   They may really like a few guys who most of the national media have lower down.  

Bilal is really tricky.  I don't have a firm grasp on him, but he does look great in the highlights how he moves.   But, with such a young front office, he is such a tricky evaluation.  Hopefully a guy like Lindsey can help here.  For instance, no one Dallas front office can say, this guy is further ahead than OG was at the same age.  Or we see this guy tracking very similar to Mikal Bridges.   Dallas doesn't have that past reference on these prospects.    Sort of puts them in a tricky spot.   You can always evaluate prospects, but they lack the years of comparing past players.

[DanSchwartzgan]

This guy has lots of info who worked out for Mavs

https://twitter.com/All_Things_Mavs

Among potential Top 20 guys, who have we seen besides, Dick, Hawkins and Black? Also, does anyone recall if Hardy was in for a workout last year?

[Chicagojk]

Among potential Top 20 guys, who have we seen besides, Dick, Hawkins and Black?  Also, does anyone recall if Hardy was in for a workout last year?

I think it was reported he was worked out, but after the fact it was reported that workout was cancelled after the Mavs traded their pick.    I guess it doesn't matter if you report who you have brought in.    It is sort of cool though to get this from the team.   I always thought it was they were worried about perceived laziness if it was reported they brought in a much lower percentage of players to workout than other teams.    But Cuban is weird on that.  There are a few things he is really stubborn with. I don't think it matters either way.   Just bring in as many people as you can.

I expect most of the first round prospects started doing in person workouts last week.    We should be seeing more reports on them over the next two weeks.

[juanc]

Watches some Metropolitans games lately and I have to say Bilal Coulibaly is going to be a stud. He is an athletic freak, the combination of lenght, agility and strenght is something else. But he also knows how to play basketball. I'm usually all against those French overhyped prospects(Hayes, Dombouya, Cissoko this year), but Bilal left me very much impressed. The improvement he has shown this year is just.. wow... Once he grows into his body he is going to be a beast.

my big board for Dallas would be:
1. Jarace Walker
2. Bilal Coulibaly
3. Ant Black

If no one is on board, I would wither trade down or out of the draft. Hendricks for example is a tier or two bellow those 3. I'm lower on him than most of other people, Watching him defend, he was out of position just so many times.

[Jakeospikez]

I think Hendricks might be my favorite to drop. I think he already is Maxi who might be able to play more minutes than him, but his ceiling is JJJ (hopefully less injured as well). He would be a day 1 starter in a position of huge need for us IMO. If we keep Maxi, that is the perfect backup to him too.

I don't think most people see JJJ even at the extreme ceiling outcome. JJJ is 6'10/7'4ws and over 240lbs. Hendricks is not even close to that. Most comps are like current Jerami Grant. Maybe a decent ceiling comp is Jerami Grant mixed with some John Collins. Developing to current Jerami Grant really fast isn't bad though considering it took Jerami Grant himself many years to get to this point.