Power forward is the deepest position in the 2012 NBA Draft, which means the Dallas Mavericks may be able to let the draft come to them at No. 17 and see which lottery-level talent ends up sliding.
In Jonathan Givony's latest mock draft for Yahoo! Sports, Kentucky PF Terrence Jones draws the short end of the stick, sliding to the Mavericks as the sixth power forward taken in the first round:
While almost certainly a top-10 talent, Jones (or one of his power forward counterparts) could pay the price for how deep this draft is at his position. Six power forwards have already come off the board at in this mock draft. The Mavericks have other needs, but could have a difficult time passing on a player like Jones, who can do a little bit of everything on the floor and looks ready to play from day one.
It's not the first time Givony, one of the most connected draft analysts in the game, has linked Jones with the Mavericks. In this scenario, Dallas would be benefiting from the Houston Rockets taking Jared Sullinger, a limited low-post player who isn't worth a top-15 selection even without his significant back problems.
For that matter, Jones significantly outplayed projected No. 2 pick Thomas Robinson in the duo's two meetings this season. He's just as big and fast as Robinson and he's far more skilled, but he doesn't always play with the same motor as the Kansas star.
For more on the Mavericks draft plans, stay tuned to the SB Nation Dallas storystream as well as Mavs Moneyball.