NBA Draft 2018: Winners and losers

Winner No. 1: The Dallas Mavericks

Dallas was the clear winner of the 2018 NBA Draft, turning the fifth pick into arguably the best player in the draft — Slovenian guard Luka Doncic. The Mavs smelled blood as the Atlanta Hawks were shopping the third overall pick, and they offered a simple and effective package — the No. 5 pick, which the Hawks would use to get Trae Young of Oklahoma, and their 2019 first-round pick, which is lottery protected. This landed Doncic in Dallas, and he appears poised to keep the strong European connection in place for the Mavs, as he now gets to learn from Dirk Nowitzki in his final season.

The fit of Doncic on the Mavs roster works well, as the marriage of him with Dennis Smith Jr. seems like a strong one. Smith’s athletic, attacking style at the point guard position contrasts nicely with Doncic’s more methodical, almost surgical pick-and-roll play, and this will allow Doncic to spot-up off ball and take advantage of his shooting ability. It also allows Harrison Barnes to transition to his more effective role of being a spot-up shooter and slasher, which benefits the Mavs’ primary salary holding as well.

The problem is defense, but that can be solved by the Mavs’ free agency moves. Maybe that’s finally getting their hands on DeAndre Jordan or Dwight Howard after all these years. Maybe it’s something else. But for now, the future of Dallas’s offense appears set, and it barely cost them anything to do it.