The Mavs land the fifth pick in the NBA Draft, fall out of the top three

Of course….

— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) May 16, 2018

Dallas went into the night with a 42.5% chance to land in the top three of next month’s NBA Draft. However, that 57.5% took over, and they fell out. The Mavericks, who were projected to pick third, landed the fifth overall pick in the draft. While fans are justifiably upset at the slippage, the players projected to be available at five will make an immediate impact for Dallas.

The Mavericks will likely miss out on top prospects like DeAndre Ayton, Luka Doncic and Marvin Bagley III, but may still hit a home run. Lengthy rim protectors Mo Bamba and Jaren Jackson Jr. are projected to fall in that four to six range and one of them may just find themselves in Dallas’ starting lineup.

Statistically speaking, the fifth overall pick was the most likely position for the Mavs going into the night at 29%. A top five pick is a top five pick but not landing in the top three definitely stings a little. However, Mavs fans should take comfort in the fact that this pool of talent is stronger than the average draft class. The NBA Draft will take place on June 21st. Here’s how the rest of the Lottery wound up:

1. Phoenix Suns
2. Sacramento Kings
3. Atlanta Hawks
4. Memphis Grizzlies
5. Dallas Mavericks
6. Orlando Magic
7. Chicago Bulls
8. Cleveland Cavaliers
9. New York Knicks
10. Philadelphia 76ers
11. Charlotte Hornets
12. Los Angeles Clippers
13. Los Angeles Clippers
14. Denver Nuggets