Mavs swap picks to get Doncic from Hawks

Eager to get their hands on the former Real Madrid star, the Mavericks took a massive risk when they gave up their 2019 first-round pick, which happens to be a top 5 protected pick. Between FIBA play, Eurobasket, and ACB league games, Doncic has played over 150 professional basketball games the last two seasons.

Doncic joins a Mavs team loaded with veterans – Harrison Barnes, Wesley Matthews, J.J. Barea, Doug McDermott, and future Hall-of-Famer Dirk Nowitzki, who just wrapped up his 20th season in Dallas.

Luka Doncic didn’t get compared to Larry Bird when he was introduced a day after the Dallas Mavericks traded up to get the third overall pick in the National Basketball Association draft.

The Suns made the 7-foot-1 Ayton the first No. 1 pick in franchise history.

We’re very fortunate. Luka Doncic is the guy we targeted in this draft if there was any way possible to do it. …

While the majority of this year’s draftees entered the league via college, Doncic has been playing professionally for Real Madrid for a few years.

Atlanta remains a target of multiple teams trying to move up in the draft, including Dallas, which also has been focused on selecting Doncic, league sources said.

“Doncic’s next destination was a focal point of many a conversation over the course of the weekend”, Givony wrote from the EuroLeague Final Four.

Dirk Nowitzki, has been the face of the Mavericks franchise for 20 years, and his time with the team is almost at its end.

“I think it’s a transformational class”, Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. said. Huerter could turn into a good 3-point threat, but I feel he lacks the intangibles to become much more than that.

We could see lots of deals go down on Thursday night, and we’ll be right here to keep track of them all.

The Mavericks’ selection of Doncic, however, could cause a re-evaluation of those plans.

Mark Cuban and the front office selected Villanova standout Jaylen Brunson with the No. 33 pick, as well as Kostas Antetokounmpo with the final pick in the draft.

No. 24. Portland Trail Blazers: Grayson Allen, Duke This is higher than most mock drafts, but Allen would fit right in with CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard. The Hawks either love or are completely out on Luka Doncic or Jaren Jackson Jr., depending on the day and the report.