The Dallas Mavericks made a trade during Day 2 of the NBA Draft on Thursday. Dallas acquired Melvin Ajinca, who had been selected by the New York Knicks with the No. 51 overall pick in the draft. New York reportedly ended up with Ariel Hukporti with the No. 58 overall pick. Tim MacMahon of ESPN also reports that the Mavs gave the Knicks cash considerations as part of the deal.

Picks this late in the draft do not tend to draw much attention. However, there have been 21 players who went on to become All-Stars after being selected in the second round since 1989. NBA teams understand that any player selected in the draft could become a star at some point down the road.

Melvin Ajinca heads to Dallas

I previously mentioned Ajinca as a “sneaky” potential pick for the Mavs. However, there was no guarantee that he was still going to be around once the No. 58 pick's turn was up. The Mavericks decided to make a move and acquire the No. 51 pick and ultimately ended up with Ajinca.

At 19 years old, he was expected to be selected later in the second round. It seemed likely that he would be drafted, but it just was uncertain how far he would fall. Ajinca features intriguing upside, but he still has room to develop in his game.

Fortunately, the Mavericks tend to perform well when it comes to helping young players develop and establish quality reputations in the NBA.

Ajinca played for Saint-Quentin this past season. The French prospect averaged over nine points per game. Scouts seem to believe in his IQ and three-point shooting ability. Additionally, Ajinca could become a respectable rebounder in the NBA. At 6'8, he could offer versatility on both ends of the floor.

Mavericks' needs

The Mavs' defense was previously an area of need. Dallas saw drastic improvement on the defensive end of the floor during the second half of the 2023-24 campaign, however. Trading for Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington played a pivotal role in balancing out the roster.

The Mavericks could use more consistent scoring. Oftentimes, they were left leaning on Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in the playoffs. PJ Washington enjoyed some big moments without question, but he was also inconsistent at times.

Washington will continue to positively impact the team. Still, adding another scorer should be the team's priority. It stood out as a  glaring need during the NBA Finals. Drafting Melvin Ajinca makes a lot of sense given the Mavericks' current needs.

Mavs NBA Draft grade

The Mavericks entered the NBA Draft with the No. 58 pick. Unless they made an eye-opening trade, they were never going to end up with a lottery pick. Still, considering the circumstances, it is difficult to complain about the selection after they traded up in the draft.

Personally, I believe Melvin Ajinca can become a reliable NBA player someday.

Final grade: A