2012 NBA Draft Trades: Mavs Deal Tyler Zeller to Cavs for Multiple Picks
With the 17th pick in the 2012 NBA draft, the Dallas Mavericks selected Tyler Zeller out of North Carolina and then immediately traded him.
The news comes from ESPN's Chad Ford:
"So to sum up Zeller to Cavs for Cleveland's 24, 33, 34 picks.
— Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) June 29, 2012"
Let's take a closer look at the day's first trade, which came much later than everyone was expecting.
What it Means
After taking Dion Waiters with the fourth pick of the draft, the Cavaliers now add a big man. They already have Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao, but Zeller gives them another solid body who can contribute right away, especially off the bench.
The Cavaliers currently have no remaining draft picks.
As far as the Mavericks go, they moved down just seven spots and now have the Nos. 24, 33 and 34 picks. The New Orleans Hornets already own their other second-round pick.
What Happens Next
For the Cavs, nothing. Unless they make another trade, they are done drafting for the night.
The consensus was that they needed a big man with the 24th pick, so moving up to grab Zeller, who was projected to go in the lottery, could turn out to be a sneaky good move—even if they had to give up quite a bit to get him.
A player started to fall, and Cleveland jumped on him.
The Mavericks' plan is clear. They are aging, so in a deep draft like this one, grabbing multiple picks in the late first and early second round is a much better way to go than having just one middle-of-the-first-round pick.
It's completely conceivable that they will be able to draft three role players. Fantastic job by Mark Cuban and company. This is how you rebuild.
