Mavericks Officially Slotted to Draft 13th, May Trade Pick

In the least shocking news of the week, Dallas is now officially locked in to pick 13th in this year's NBA Draft in June. Of course some of us weren't sure what happened...

Am I the only one that doesn't understand what just happened? #draftlottery

— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) May 22, 2013

Which is understandable, I suppose, particularly when you spend well over a decade rocking playoff runs.

Almost immediately after the draft lottery, ESPN's draft guru Chad Ford had this to say about the Mavericks

Hearing from multiple sources that Mavs likely to trade the No. 13 pick. Want to save cap space for Dwight Howard run ...

— Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) May 22, 2013

No. 13 draft pick slotted to make $1,655,300 in year one.Mavs need all the cap room they can get to make room for Howard.

— Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) May 22, 2013

Of course, the general reaction from twitter was a resounding "OH GREAT". I'm less concerned that Dallas might move the pick and more concerned that Ford thinks their main target is Howard. Literally everything I have read and heard up until this point indicates Dallas is more interested in Paul than Howard.

I also don't really understand why folks would be irritated that Dallas might move the pick. This was always going to be an option and I said so way back in January 4th. That a 13th pick is less valuable than any of the picks before it is really a fairly basic idea, and Dallas essentially sits in no-man's land because this is generally considered a weak draft.

I'm sure other folks here at MMB will have smarter or more measured takes at the moment, but right now I'm apprehensive bordering on angry. Between the draft and free agency, things don't really have a positive feel at the moment. Dirk has been and always will be a happy warrior, but circumstances beyond everyone's control (with the exception of closing out the season the way they did) have left the Mavericks at the mercy of everyone else's decisions.