DALLAS: The Dallas Mavericks want to get better defensively, and they believe Arizona guard Josh Green can help them do it.
The Mavericks drafted Green, a native of Australia, with 18th pick in the first round Wednesday night, adding a backcourt mate for Luka Doncic as they continue to build around the 21-year-old sensation and fellow European star Kristaps Porzingis.
Dallas changed the look of its backcourt even further by trading Seth Curry to Philadelphia for Josh Richardson and another second-round pick, a person with knowledge of the deal said on condition of anonymity because it had not been announced.
Green, drafted two days after his 20th birthday, moved to the United States at 14 and played high school basketball at IMG Academy in Florida.
The 6-foot-6 swingman entered the draft after a pandemic-shortened freshman season at Arizona, where he averaged 12 points per game and shot 36% from 3-point range. He was standout on defense, leading the Wildcats with 46 steals.
What we needed first for our roster are wing defenders that can shoot and score and hopefully make plays, coach Rick Carlisle said. We feel like hes a ready-to-go 3-and-D guy.
The Mavericks sent Curry, one of their better 3-point shooters, to the 76ers for Richardson and the 36th pick in the second round, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced. Curry is the son-in-law of new Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers.
The 76ers picked Colorado forward Tyler Bey at No. 36 for Dallas, which earlier drafted another guard with the first pick in the second round 31st overall in Stanford’s Tyrell Terry. The freshman averaged 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game for the Cardinal.
Led by Doncic and Porzingis, the Mavericks made the playoffs for the first time in four years, losing to the Los Angeles Clippers in six games in the first round at the NBA bubble in Florida.
Coming off of last year, our offense was historically great, Carlisle said. We need to get our defense better. Some of it is going to be the kind of work we put in during training camp. But the other part is when we draft and acquire players, we want to acquire players with that mindset and that ability.
The addition of Green comes with the Mavericks expecting shooting guard Tim Hardaway to exercise the $19 million option on his contract. President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson has said Hardaway is important piece as the Mavericks try to move toward title contention.
I think I need to focus on the things the team needs, Green said. I feel like in my position and role, I dont think I need to do anything outside of that. I think if Im able to play defense, work as hard as I can, hit open shots and do what the team needs to do, I feel like that happens.
Porzingis is expected to miss the start of the season coming off surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee. He missed all of 2018-19 after tearing the ACL in his left knee with the New York Knicks, who traded him to Dallas last year.
Dwight Powell is expected to be ready when the season starts after tearing an Achilles tendon last season. When Powell is healthy, he can play center and allow Porzingis to move to forward, probably the most suitable spot for the 7-foot-3 Latvian.
Jalen Brunson, the backup to Doncic at point guard, should be ready to return after shoulder surgery cut short his 2019-20 season. The two-time NCAA champion at Villanova was drafted in the second round the same year Doncic went third overall.
The Mavericks finished as the seventh seed in the Western Conference, but entered the restart with a chance to finish in the top four. Dallas hasn’t been seeded that high since winning the franchise’s only championship in 2011.
Richardson has averaged 12.4 points in five NBA seasons and is a career 36% shooter from 3. The 27-year-old played four seasons in Miami before going to Philadelphia in a trade during the 2019 offseason.
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