Injuries have somewhat depleted Dallas's big men. The Mavs could eye a versatile, athletic prospect like Chris Cenac Jr. to revitalize their frontcourt in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Dallas Mavericks’ season was defined by transition, with a rookie Cooper Flagg leading the way for a roster who dealt with its fair share of injuries.
Some of the most impactful injuries that Dallas had was to their big men, which is something the team could look to help remedy in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft.
In a recent mock by Christopher Kline of FanSided, he has them doing exactly that and drafting Houston big man Chris Cenac Jr. at the end of the first round with the 30th pick.
"Chris Cenac Jr. was understandably inconsistent as a freshman under Kelvin Sampson, thrown into the deep end with a Houston team committed to physical defense and hellacious rebounding," Kline writes. "It required him to apply more force and pick up new tricks. His production on the glass was a pleasant surprise. Still, there's a lot to work on. This is an upside swing for Dallas with its second first-round pick."
At Houston, Chris Cenac Jr. carved out a reputation as a long, athletic frontcourt prospect with legitimate two-way potential. At 6-11 with a lean but explosive frame, he brings natural mobility that allows him to cover ground defensively, switch in short bursts, and protect the rim with timing and length.
He averaged just under 10 points and eight rebounds per game on 48 percent shooting from the field. And while he was by no means a sharpshooter, defenses had to respect his jumper at 33 percent from three on the season.
Offensively, Cenac Jr. is still developing, but there are clear building blocks. He finishes well in transition and around the basket, using his length to score through contact and convert lobs or dump-offs. While his game is still largely interior-based, he has shown enough touch and coordination to suggest he could expand into more than just a rim-runner over time.
For Dallas, that kind of profile fits a very clear roster need. With a young core still taking shape and limited certainty in the frontcourt due to injuries, adding a player with long-term defensive upside and athletic finishing ability provides both insurance and flexibility.
The team does have Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, but the former has been dealing with the same shoulder injury for some time, while the latter had enough discomfort in his foot to warrant having season-ending surgery.
Both of those guys could very well come back, but the most games Lively has played in a season is just 55, and Gafford has also missed significant time the last few seasons.
As a result, the Mavericks could be looking to strengthen the position through the draft.