Options. The Mavericks are keeping them open going into another crucial offseason, including the possibility of trading their first-round draft pick.

While dropping to the fifth overall selection in the draft lottery -- just one spot above their lowest possibility -- was a buzz kill, it was not a graveyard sentence.

President of Basketball Operations Donnie Nelson and owner Mark Cuban are keeping a close watch on everything happening around the NBA and will continue to do so in the next month of talent evaluation leading up to the draft.

That includes trade options.

"We're getting a lot of calls," Nelson said. "It's a great area [picking fifth]. There's no shortage of discussions that are taking place, that's for sure."

There are teams that would like to trade up to No. 5. However, if the Mavericks do stay put, they will have a serious decision to make. And they cannot afford to get this one wrong.

"There's a lot of really good young players in this draft," Nelson said. "We're going to take the best guy, pull the trigger and not look back. Obviously, this is the time when there is a lot of discussion, whether it's free agency, the draft, trade discussions. Whatever it takes to take the next step for this franchise, we're all over it."

What the Mavericks also will have to decide is whether they absolutely need a big man such as Texas product Mohamed Bamba or feel like one of the high-quality smaller players such as Trae Young or Collin Sexton has star potential.

With Dennis Smith Jr. already entrenched as the Mavericks' point guard of the present and future, would another one fit?

"Rick [Carlisle] runs an offense where he's played two point guards out there quite a bit," Nelson said. "There's a premium on guys being able to get into the paint and also shoot 3s. So if there's a star there, we're not opposed to looking hard at that, even if it's a point guard."

Big or small, the Mavericks most importantly need a player.

A big-time player, regardless of size.

Along those lines, the Mavericks are in the process of talking to all of the potential incoming players into the league.

They sent a small army to Chicago for the NBA combine. They talked to a lot of players one-on-one at that event and will have a lot more interviews and workouts individually with players.

What they have to figure out is who will be taken before they pick, assuming that they stay at No. 5.

"I would say [7-footer Deandre] Ayton for sure," Nelson said. "And after that, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We're talking to all of them. We'll eventually see all of them."

The Mavericks also are headed to the European final four next week, which will include looks at Luka Doncic and other foreign players who have a chance to be taken with one of the Mavericks' second-round picks (33rd and 54th).

The Mavericks, by the way, moved up to 33rd overall (and third in the second round) by virtue of Atlanta passing them in the first round.

Small consolation.

Twitter: @ESefko