In his latest mock for the upcoming 2011 NBA Draft, ESPN’s Chad Ford has Kansas product Josh Selby falling to the No. 26 position overall, landing with the Dallas Mavericks to bolster the team’s aging backcourt. Of course, that backcourt is obviously still quite loaded given their recent NBA Championship, but that doesn’t preclude Mark Cuban and company from thinking about future replacements as well.
Josh Selby would benefit enormously from playing behind Jason Kidd and Jason Terry, who have a combined 37 years of playing experience between them. Last year, Dallas bought Dominique Jones, the No. 25 selection, from the Memphis Grizzlies in a deal, but the South Florida product failed to make any memorable impact at the pro level (although some D-League numbers were solid). Of course, no one can forget the presence of J.J. Barea as well, who provides a solid 20 minutes per game and adds a scoring spark.
While the Mavs are a deep team, they’re still long in the tooth overall at the position and lack a young playmaker to develop. Selby would provide help to both areas and allow the Mavericks to choose a player with potential high-upside at such a low position in the draft. It’s a win-win situation for both player and team given the draft position and championship climate in Dallas.