The Dallas Mavericks turned their first-round pick

in the NBA draft into three selections Thursday night.

After using the 17th overall pick to get 7-foot North Carolina

center Tyler Zeller, the Mavericks traded his draft rights along

with guard Kelenna Azubuike to Cleveland for three selections.

Before the deal was formally approved by the NBA, the Cavaliers

made three selections for the Mavericks. Cleveland took Oregon State guard Jared Cunningham with the 24th overall pick, then made the

Nos. 33 and 34 picks in the second round that were part of the

draft-night deal.

Dallas also got the draft rights to Bernard James, a 27-year-old

center from Florida State selected 33rd overall, and Marquette

forward Jae Crowder, the Big East Player of the Year taken with the

next pick.

Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson had talked about getting

an impact player at No. 17, their highest pick since 2000. They

instead got three players in a span of 11 picks.

"Overall, it was a great draft," owner Mark Cuban said. "If we would have just gotten the one guy we liked, but we got three guys that we think are going to come in and play for us."

Cunningham, an early NBA draft entry, led the Pac 12 in steals

in his junior and sophomore seasons. As a junior for the Beavers

last season, he averaged 17.9 points, second in the

Pac 12. Cunningham also had 91 steals, matching Gary Payton's mark

as a junior, and averaged 3.8 rebounds.

The 6-foot-10 James joined the Air Force in 2003 and did three

tours in the Middle East. After leaving the Air Force, he went to

Tallahassee Community College, then played the past two years with

Florida State, averaging 10.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocked

shots a game last season.

Crowder averaged 17.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.5 steals

per game. The 6-6 Crowder scored 20 points or more 13 times,

and was in double figures in 31 of 35 games last season.

The Mavericks had the oldest team in the NBA last season, and were swept in the first round of the playoffs by Oklahoma City

a year after winning their only NBA championship. They could

undergo significant roster changes around perennial All-Star

forward Dirk Nowitzki.

Earlier, Cleveland took guard Dion Waiters with the fourth pick.

The NBA champion Miami Heat grabbed Mississippi State

forward Arnett Moultrie with the No. 27 pick, then quickly

traded him to Philadelphia for a future first-round pick and the

rights to the 76ers' second-round selection,

7-foot forward Justin Hamilton of LSU at No. 45.