If the Dallas Mavericks retain their draft pick on lottery night, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack they will explore trading it.
The Mavericks will only keep their pick if it is in the top-10, otherwise it will be conveyed to the New York Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade. If the Mavericks keep the pick, they can also trade the 2027 selection.
After missing the play-in altogether one season after reaching the Western Conference Finals, the Mavericks are firmly in win-now mode ahead of their own fears of a Luka Doncic trade request as early as 2024.
The Mavericks will also navigate the free agency of Kyrie Irving this offseason, who they hope to keep.