Jan 22, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Kris Dunn (3) dribbles in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Target Center. The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 111-108. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

What Would the Mavs Look Like if Players Stayed Close to Home?

What Would the Mavs Look Like if Players Stayed Close to Home? by Kohl Rast

Sitting two spots ahead of the Dallas, could the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks explore a draft day trade?

The NBA Draft Lottery is over and the Dallas Mavericks have the 9th pick in the draft. The exact pick that the odds projected them to have.

For Minnesota, it was a strike of bad luck as the Sacramento Kings jumped from 8th to 5th on lottery night. Which resulted in Minnesota going from 6th to 7th on draft night. So, with Minnesota sitting two spots ahead of Dallas, could the teams engage on a draft day deal?

Minnesota has a roster full of young talent and a rookie might not be the top priority this offseason while they still have cap space. With looming extensions coming for Wiggins, LaVine and Towns, this could be the last summer the Timberwolves have cap space.

Dallas, on the other hand, is in need for another young piece moving forward while looking for answers at point guard and in the front court.

Minnesota and Dallas could help answer each other’s needs this offseason on draft night.

Option One

Timberwolves Get SG Wesley Matthews, 9th Pick Mavericks Get PG Ricky Rubio, 7th pick

Minnesota: Wesley Matthews would immediately come in and be the defensive veteran on the wing where he could play alongside of Andrew Wiggins. Matthews would also give the Wolves an outside shooting presence they desperately needed last season.

For Minny to give up Rubio, they would be handing the reigns to Kris Dunn while exploring the free agent point guard market also. In this deal, they would move just two spots down and still grab a top ten pick in a loaded draft.

Dallas: The Mavericks would first move up two spots in the draft. It might not mean much to some, but New York is sitting at the 8th spot with some of the same needs as the Mavericks. If there is a point guard they are targeting or a wing prospect like Jonathan Isaac, moving up two spots would increase their chance on landing that guy.

Ricky Rubio would be that pass-first point guard Mark Cuban has repeatedly talked about. The savvy vet would step right into the offense and also clear up some cap space as he is due $14.2 million compared to Matthews’ $17.8 million for the 2017-18 season.

Option Two

Timberwolves Get 9th Pick Mavericks Get PG Kris Dunn

Minnesota: For the Wolves to do this, it would mean that they are done with the development of Dunn and want to cash in for another pick in a loaded draft class.

In this scenario, Minnesota would come out of the deal with the 7th and 9th pick in the draft. They could try to flip the picks in a bigger trade for a proven veteran or stay put and draft two players to join their young core.

If they keep the picks, they could walk away with the likes of Jonathan Isaac/Dennis Smith Jr. with the first pick and possibly Lauri Markkanen/OG Anunoby with the second pick.

Dallas: For Dallas to give up their 9th pick in this draft, they would obviously have to be all in on Kris Dunn.

It was just last year where Dunn was the 5th overall pick in the draft where he was selected over the likes of Jamal Murray, Thon Maker and Buddy Hield. Dunn, the 6’4″ point guard out of Providence, was the top overall point guard prospect in the draft.

Dunn appeared in 78 games last season backing up Ricky Rubio and averaged over 17 minutes a game. Even though he didn’t have the rookie breakthrough some would have thought, Dunn in a starting role outside of the young trio in Minnesota could help him take that next leap.

This would be the least likely deal that Dallas would do.

Option Three

Timberwolves Get SG Wesley Matthews Mavericks Get 7th Pick

Minnesota: At some point, you push your chips in and go for the playoffs. Giving up with 7th overall pick for Wesley Matthews wouldn’t seem the smartest for most franchises, but the financial window is closing for them.

Armed with cap space this offseason, Minnesota has looming extensions coming for their young trio in LaVine, Wiggins and Towns. Thus making this probably the last summer where they will have significant cap space.

Adding another rookie to this core will take development and won’t push the playoff needle like a veteran could. Does Thibs really want another young, developmental piece to the puzzle?

Matthews would step in right away as the defensive anchor on the wing and be the vocal, veteran leader on the young Minnesota team. With Wiggins and Towns as the main options, Matthews would provide the outside shooting as the third or fourth option on the team.

Dallas: For a team that is shifting towards the youth movement, grabbing two prospects in this loaded draft class would be huge moving forward.

Losing Matthews would be rough as he is the glue of the team and the vocal leader on defense. He is thought highly of within the organization, but the draft pick and cap relief this deal would bring would be hard to pass up.

At the 7th and 9th pick overall, Dallas could really capitalize on adding two young studs to their future. In this situation, Dallas could walk away with any two of Dennis Smith Jr., Jonathan Isaac, Frank Ntilikina, Lauri Markkanen or OG Anunoby.

Dallas would then make Seth Curry the full-time starting shooting guard and move Barnes back to small forward. This would be a huge move for Dallas and the future of the franchise.

It might not be the Mavericks, but expect Minnesota to be in all of the trade rumors come draft night.