10:15 p.m.: Mavericks add veteran center, Marquette standout
The Mavericks agreed in principle on another trade in the first round, acquiring veteran center Richaun Holmes and the 24th overall pick from the Sacramento Kings.
With the 24th overall pick, Dallas selected Marquette forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who has risen up draft boards from 56th to 24th in the past month.
Prosper fits the mold of an athletic forward with great defensive instincts that Dallas has coveted this offseason. He began his career at Clemson before transferring to Marquette and had his best season in 2022-23 for the Golden Eagles.
9:45 p.m.: Mavericks react to Lively selection
Shortly after the trade for Duke center Dereck Lively was officially announced, Mavericks Vice President of Basketball Operations Michael Finley took the time to speak with the media.
Finley made it clear that Lively stuck out to the team because he brings an elite defensive presence and energy that the team did not have on its roster.
“He’s young,” Finley told the media. “He’s athletic. He’s something we don’t presently have on our roster. When you see a guy that’s 7-feet plus and runs like a deer with good hands and great defensive instincts, we think that he’s a guy that could definitely help us in our spots of weakness, which is defense.”
Before the draft, General Manager Nico Harrison told the media that his mission was to improve the defense and add rebounding. The Mavericks were the 25th-ranked defense and had the lowest rebounding average in the NBA last season. Lively brings his size and is coming off a season in which he had 82 blocks.
“It’s unfair of me to put high expectations on these kids, but he has a chance,” Finley added. “He has the work ethic to be the type of player that we think he is, and he has a great heart, and I think he’ll be a great teammates well. We’re looking forward to him being on the roster.”
9 p.m.: Lively can defend, but can he score?
Dereck Lively II of Duke brings defensive prowess as a big, physical player in the paint, which Dallas has been missing and should complement its offense well.
In one season at Duke, the 7-foot-1 center amassed 82 blocks, the second most in a single season for the Blue Devils.
Lively needs to show more offensively, only scoring 5.2 points per game for the Blue Devils.
The No.10 pick was Richardson High School star Cason Wallace. Wallace is a two-way point guard who can help spread the floor, facilitate the offense, and play smart defense. He averaged 11.7 points and 4.3 assists in his only year at Kentucky.
The Mavericks agreed in principle to acquire Lively’s draft rights from Oklahoma City, with Wallace going to the Thunder along with wing player Davis Bertans.
8:25 p.m.: Mavericks wind up with LivelyÂ
The Oklahoma City Thunder selected at No.12 for the Mavericks and picked Duke center Dereck Lively II.
Dallas’ rights to the No.10 selection, Kentucky guard Cason Wallace, were sent to Oklahoma City in a trade along with Mavericks wing Davis Bertans.
The Mavericks unloaded the remaining $22 million on Bertans’ contract to clear salary-cap space.
8:10 p.m.: Mavericks move down after trade
The Dallas Mavericks chose Kentucky guard Cason Wallace at No. 10 with the intention of trading him to Oklahoma City for its No. 12 selection.
The Thunder also agreed to take Dallas wing Davis Bertans’ contract in the deal, ESPN reported.
8 p.m.: Picks 2-9, Rockets select Amen Thompson fourth; local prep star Black goes to Magic sixth
2. Charlotte Hornets – Brandon Miller, forward, Alabama: Miller was considered a top-three prospect in this class and goes to Charlotte at No.2. Miller averaged 18.8 points per game as a freshman at Alabama last season and won a myriad of awards.
3. Â Portland Trail Blazers – Scoot Henderson, guard, G League Ignite: Henderson was a five-star recruit in the Class of 2022 and chose to play for the NBA’s development team, G League Ignite. He averaged 16.5 points and 6.8 assists and is considered the top point guard in this draft class.
4. Houston Rockets – Amen Thompson, guard, Overtime Elite: Thompson is another player who chose to skip college and play professionally. He averaged 16.4 points per game for the City Reapers in Overtime Elite and brings length on the perimeter with a 6-foot-7 frame.
5. Detroit Pistons – Ausar Thompson, guard, Overtime Elite: The Pistons select Amen’s twin brother and teammate with the very next pick. Ausar Thompson put up similar numbers as his brother and is considered one of the best athletes in the draft with boom-or-bust potential.
6. Orlando Magic – Anthony Black, guard, Arkansas: Orlando takes the former Coppell and Duncanville guard at No.6. Black played one season for the Razorbacks and became the first player in program history to score at least 450 points, 180 rebounds, and 140 assists in a single season.
7. Indiana Pacers – Bilal Coulibaly, forward, Metropolitans 92 (France) (draft rights traded to the Washington Wizards): Indiana selects Victor Wembanyama’s fast-rising teammate. He is known more for his defense right now but has tools to develop on the offensive end and is just 18-years-old.
8. Washington Wizards – Jarace Walker, forward, Houston (draft rights traded to the Indiana Pacers):Â Walker can impact the game on both ends as a three-point shooter and one of the best defenders in this draft class. He averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds and was named the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year.
9. Utah Jazz – Taylor Hendricks, Forward, Central Florida: Hendricks is one of the top three-and-D players in this draft. As a freshman, he led UCF with 15.1 points per game and was a member of the All-Freshman and All-Conference teams in the American Athletic Conference.
7:20 p.m.: Spurs add franchise player
The San Antonio Spurs selected Metropolitans 92 (Paris, France) center Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft.
Wembanyama becomes the third player the franchise has selected first overall, joining legends David Robinson (1987) and Tim Duncan (1997).
The 19-year-old averaged 21.6 points per game with 10.4 rebounds and three blocks in the LNB Pro A, France’s top professional league, and won the league’s MVP last season and gives San Antonio an elite player with the size of a center and the skillset of a guard.
Wembanyama also has ties to former Spurs point guard Tony Parker, who is one of several international players to have made a successful career in San Antonio.
He becomes part of a young core that includes former Baylor standout Jeremy Sochan, guards Keldon Johnson, Blake Wesley, and Devin Vassell, and forward Zach Collins.
7:10 p.m.: Breaking news: The top pick
The San Antonio Spurs made it official.
They selected France center Victor Wembanyama with the No.1 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called his name, and it was greeted with a standing ovation at a draft party in San Antonio.
“Hearing that sentence from Adam Silver, I’ve dreamed of it so much,” Wembanyama said on ESPN’s live broadcast.
5 p.m.: NBA Draft preview
The 2023 NBA Draft begins at 7 p.m. CT Thursday.
The San Antonio Spurs hold the first overall pick and are expected to select French superstar Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 center who has drawn comparisons to LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
The Charlotte Hornets, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Houston Rockets, and the Detroit Pistons will follow the Spurs.
Guard Scoot Henderson and forward Brandon Miller are widely considered the next two prospects, but the rest is anyone’s guess at this point.
The Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, and Utah Jazz will also make their selections before the Dallas Mavericks go on the clock at No.10 overall.
Many expect the Mavericks to trade the pick, but others expect them to add a young player who can help Luka Doncic and the offense flow while improving the overall defensive effort. Central Florida’s Taylor Hendricks, France’s Bilal Coulibaly, and Kansas’ Gradey Dick are a few prospects who fit that mold.
Overall, 58 prospects will be selected on Thursday night, and Dallas has just one pick barring a potential trade. San Antonio enters the night with three selections, while Houston has two — both in the first round.
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NBA NOTES
— Former Maverick Kristaps Porzingis has been traded from the Washington Wizards to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team deal. The Wizards receive Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, and the 35th overall pick in Thursday’s draft from Boston, plus Memphis Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones. Memphis gets Flower Mound Marcus alum Marcus Smart from Boston and sends the Celtics the 25th overall pick in 2023 and a protected first-round pick in next year’s draft.
— According to ESPN, the Wizards are “expanding” the recent Bradley Beal trade by sending Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors for guard Jordan Poole.
— The NBA champion Denver Nuggets have acquired the 29th and 32nd overall picks in Thursday’s draft from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for the 40th overall pick and a 2024 first-round pick.
— The Warriors have named former NBA forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. as their new general manager, replacing Bob Myers, who stepped down a few weeks ago.
— Nuggets guard Bruce Brown, Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton, and Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma have declined their player options and will become free agents.
