The Dallas Mavericks carried the #9 pick, the #30 pick and the #48 pick into the 2026 NBA Draft. They came out with Morez Johnson, Sergio De Larrea (after moving from #30 to #25) and Tobi Lawal, respectively. For good measure, they bought pick #56 and acquired Vsevolod Ishchenko as well.
Many were surprised Dallas did not seek guard help with #9, especially with Brayden Burries still available when the Mavs made their first selection. In De Larrea, they did ultimately acquire said guard, and a long
and tall one at that, but he most likely will need development time before having a measurable impact.
Incongruities between expectation and reality often cause a range of generally negative reactions – disappointment, annoyance, frustration – but just because the front office plan wasn’t guard-centric doesn’t mean it was a poor plan. In fact, GM Mike Schmitz suggests quite the opposite. In a post-Draft press conference after night one, Schmitz extolled the outcome as largely on point with what the front office was after. “We feel this went accordingly to plan,” he stated succinctly.
Here we will break down three individuals he spoke about throughout the presser.
Dusty May
“Incredible confidence.”
Schmitz articulated his history with May, which dates back to the latter’s time as an assistant with Florida Atlantic. The two scouted overseas together early in their respective careers and have known each other for years. Schmitz’s sense that May is the right person to helm the Mavericks is apparent. He was highly complimentary of May’s ability to build relationships with players, lead a team and ultimately succeed as he did en route to winning the National Championship just a few months ago.
Confidence in May is not exactly surprising. Had the front office not believed in May, he wouldn’t have been offered the job. What is at least somewhat newsworthy here is the history the two shared. Up until the hire, May was a pipedream and it was not widely know that Schmitz had an existing relationship with him. This is yet another example of the advantage of having life-long basketball executives who have cut their teeth in a conventional and progressive way. As much as the commentary was about May, it demonstrates what the Mavs have with Schmitz – an executive with a great track record and far-reaching relationships.
Patrick Dumont
“Very supportive.”
Schmitz was asked about Dumont, who was seen in the draft room video when Dallas selected Johnson, and he did not hesitate to heap praise upon the team owner. He described Dumont as positive influence that was curious about the process without running any type of interference.
Dumont is quietly conducting his apology tour following the Luka Doncic trade, and he is doing so effectively. He cast himself in a very poor light following that fateful trade, making comments unbecoming of his position and appearing easily duped and perhaps even naïve for following the solitary opinion of Nico Harrison. Since that time, Dumont has endeavored to make amends with the fan base, sitting courtside with a fan who days earlier told him exactly what he thought, among other things. Acknowledging a blunder and setting out to make things right is an admirable quality and for all the flack he rightfully received in the past, we may want to consider giving Dumont his flowers (even if not everyone is ready to hand over a full bouquet quite yet). After decades of Mark Cuban making basketball decisions and perhaps even showing a frugalness contrary to his reputation, the Mavericks may finally have an owner with deep pockets, a willingness to spend, and the ability to get out of the way of the basketball lifers he hired in the first place – that could be an amazing advantage for the Mavs.
Morez Johnson
“Toughness. Competitiveness. High Energy.”
Schmitz is clearly high on what Johnson will bring to the team. He spoke enthusiastically about his intensity, particularly on the defensive end, where he feels he can cover positions one through five. He further suggested that Johnson is a “great fit with Cooper [Flagg],” referencing his ability to space, pass and attack the offensive glass. Leaving no doubt that Dallas got the player they wanted, Schmitz state “we were thrilled that Morez was there when we were choosing nine and we think he fits perfectly what we’re trying to do.”
Closing the loop on expectation vs. reality, each and every fan did not get what they wanted – that, of course, would be impossible. But what each and every fan can take away from the Draft is that this front office has a plan and they are executing that plan flawlessly at this point. It may not be a plan everyone agrees with (again, impossible), but in the wake of the Draft, I find it refreshing to take a breath and recognize the effort and professionalism being displayed. Knowing the days of leaving Giannis Antetokounmpo on the board in an effort to save a few hundred thousand dollars for a ‘big fish’ that never arrived, are hopefully behind us is a welcome thought. Also, whether Johnson was the guy any of us wanted is almost irrelevant. He’s a well regarded winner that will likely win over the fanbase in a hurry and Dallas could have done a lot worse, or something really off the wall foolish. There is still work to be done, but we can all have confidence there is a plan being executed.
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