By Trae Williams
Gradey Dick, an efficient sharpshooter from the University of Kansas, worked out with the Dallas Mavericks this week ahead of the draft. However, Dallas does not publicize the names of the players they bring in for workouts, so the team won’t formally confirm the workout.
The 6-foot-8 shooting guard is expected to get drafted in the middle of the first round and may be available when the Mavericks pick if they manage to keep the No. 10 pick. However, according to the team and league sources who spoke anonymously to The Athletic, Dallas doesn’t plan to pursue Gradey.
Dallas places more emphasis on physicality and athleticism, so Dick may not be in the running.
During his one season at Kansas, Dick averaged 14.1 points on 44.2 percent shooting from the floor, 40.3 percent from deep, and 85.4 percent from the line. He also averaged 5.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 steals, and 32.7 minutes in 36 games — all starts.
Although Gradey Dick would provide effective shooting for the Mavericks, he might not be the best option for the Mavericks, as the team is looking for more of a 3-and-D wing or a center that protects the rim.
Dallas’ effort in bringing Dick in for a workout, even if the team isn’t actually interested in him, is laudable. Despite their efforts to keep their pre-draft workouts under wraps, it demonstrates that the Mavericks prefer to watch a player in action rather than dismissing him entirely, as they did in the past.
