Dallas Mavericks trade up in NBA Draft to select French star

BELGRADE, SERBIA – MAY 19: Melvin Ajinca, #8 of U18 Pfym Insep Paris in action during the EB Adidas Next Generation Tournament game between U18 PFYM INSEP Paris v U18 Maccabi Tel Aviv at Ranko Zeravica Sports Hall on May 19, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia.
DALLAS – The Dallas Mavericks added another international star to the team through the NBA Draft.
The team traded $1 million and the 58th pick to the New York Knicks to get Melvin Ajinca with pick number 51.
Ajinca is a 6-foot-8-inch forward from France.
Mavs general manager Nico Harrison said he was surprised the 20-year-old was still available that late in the draft.
Harrison believes Ajinca has a bright future and will help the Mavericks continue to improve.
“He’s athletic. He can finish at the rim. He can shoot it and he can defend. So, he’s still young. He’s still developing. But if you think about your typical athletic three and D’wing, that’s what I would kind of put him as,” he said.
Ajinca is expected to be part of the Mavericks’ summer league team.
They begin playing in Las Vegas in about a month.