2018 NBA Mock Draft: If need were all that mattered

The Mavericks have talked about their desire to draft a young big man to play above the rim and grow with Dennis Smith Jr. They may be disappointed to miss out on Marvin Bagley III and Jaren Jackson Jr. in this scenario, but ending up with a guy who broke combine records and has incredible upside in his own right is a great consolation prize after falling on lottery night. Bamba and Smith would be a nice fit.

To recap: Bamba blocked 13 percent of all shot attempts taken while he was on the floor for Texas as a freshman and posted an outlandish 8.9 Defensive Box Plus-Minus. He also made 60 percent of his 2-point attempts and contributed as a rebounder. Even if you were to ignore his unheard-of physical attributes, Bamba’s production and efficiency would paint a picture of an effective modern center. He definitely showed his potential as a Longhorn.

While Bamba has some potential to switch on defense and hit 3s, it’s more likely that Dallas’ systematic conservatism will be more productive for his growth. One could argue that Bamba’s willingness to try those secondary skills put a cap on his effectiveness at Texas, and operating more as a diver in the pick-and-roll could help him on offense. Conversely, dropping back near the rim on every play would certainly hamper the opponent’s ability to score against the Mavericks.

Considering Smith’s shoddy defense, investing in someone like Bamba would also be wise if the Mavericks consider Smith a surefire part of their future.