Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson said early on Thursday that he expected his club to sit at their No. 26 slot and see who might fall. Jordan Hamilton fell to that spot, but Nelson dealt his rights and the Mavericks' second round pick to Portland for backup guard Rudy Fernandez and 2007 first rounder Petteri Kopenen.
Fernandez has one year and a qualifier on his contract and figures to provide cover in the event of the possible departures of J.J. Barea, DeShawn Stevenson and Caron Butler.