The Dallas Mavericks looked like they were a sure shot at making the playoffs last season, but they couldn’t prevent a meltdown in the second half of the campaign, despite the acquisition of Kyrie Irving. For coming up short and striking out of the playoffs race in the Western Conference, the Mavs got some consolation in the form of the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft which they can use to add a crucial piece to the roster.

That can be anyone, but Gradey Dick does make sense for the Mavs, who still should want to surround Luka Doncic with great complementary pieces that fit his style. Dallas is not going to force Doncic to change his ball-dominant ways. It’s on the rest of the team, and Dick has the right qualities and abilities that tick items on the check box.

First of all, it’s more than likely that Dick will be available at the No. 10 spot. Victor Wembanyama (duh), Brandon Miller, Scott Henderson, the Thompson twins, and Cam Whitmore are all going to be taken off the board long before the Mavs get on the clock.

Widely regarded as the best shooter among all NBA Draft prospects, Dick combines his terrific outside shooting accuracy with excellent off-the-ball skills and great size to make one salivating prospect for the Mavs to dream of pairing with Doncic. In the one season he spent in Lawrence, Dick averaged 14.1 points and shot 40.3 percent from behind the arc. He also grabbed 5.1 rebounds and recorded 1.4 steals per game. 

At 6-8, he will be a tougher cover and matchup for opposing teams, especially when he sets himself in motion by going through screens and running around in search of an open spot. The dynamism on offense that Dick can give the Mavs who already have a talented playmaker in Doncic can be a stuff of nightmares for opposing head coaches to plan against.