NBA Draft 2011: What Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons are looking for?
Team: Dallas Mavericks
Draft Pick: 26th Pick
Recommended Position: Forward
You can’t improve a team too much when it has just swept the two-time defending NBA champions. The Dallas Mavericks are a good and well balanced side. They are well stocked in the backcourt and the age balance is also very good, with Jason Kidd the ultimate veteran alongside seasoned pro’s Jason Terry and DeShawn Stevenson, complemented by the youth of Jose Barea and Rodrigue Beaubois.
While most teams are looking for a centre this year, with Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood around, Dallas really don’t need one.
Their strongest position is perhaps the forward. Superstar Dirk Nowitzki alongside Peja Stojakovic, Shawn Marion and Caron Butler are one of the best combinations of forwards throughout the league. However, this is the position they should be looking to strengthen.
While all their forwards are in their supreme, the age might not be on their side and this will be the perfect time to get in a young forward that Dallas can hone into a quality player. The 26th pick gives Dallas a shot at getting someone that meets their needs perfectly. Team’s with higher picks invariably have poorer squads to Dallas and will look at players who can make an impact on the team right away. Dallas have the opportunity to pick someone on potential who they can then give enough time to blossom at this level.
Team: Denver Nuggets
Draft Pick: 22nd Pick
Recommended Position: Best player except Guard
The Denver Nuggets strength is in the backcourt. The likes of Ty Lawson, Raymond Felton and Arron Afflalo are all good players with most of their careers ahead of them. If anything, Denver requires a veteran in the backcourt. At present, J.R. Smith is the most experienced of the lot and he’s only been in the NBA for 7 years.
Carmelo Anthony departed during the mid season so small forward is perhaps the position they should look at. They could also do with another 7-footer in their ranks. The problem with Denver is they already have young players in most positions, and with the 22nd pick, they won’t get any one who can make an impact straight away.
Team: Detroit Pistons
Draft Pick: Lottery Pick
Recommended Position: Point Guard
The Pistons side performed poorly during the regular season and has aging players all around their roster. Ben Wallace is still playing and so is a depleted version of Tracy McGrady. The team however, with a few tweaks, can come back as a strong outfit next year.
They are alright upfront with Greg Monroe marked as the future starter in the centre/power forward position. Although Tayshaun Prince is still good enough to play in the small forward slot and regularly puts up good numbers there, Austin Daye has also shown promise and he could one day play in that position as well. In Richard Hamilton and Ben Gordon, Detroit have the shooting guard position covered, at least for a while.
What they desperately need is a good point guard and with a lottery pick, they have a chance of getting a pretty good one too. Detroit will definitely be looking at Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker. Although Walker is more likely to provide the instant impact they need, they will be fools to turn down Irving either.
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