With the 2025-26 season nearly coming to an end, the Dallas Mavericks are seemingly looking ahead to the 2026 NBA Draft. With the organization hoping to acquire young talent for the roster in the offseason, CEO Rick Welts explains why the upcoming draft is so important for the franchise.
Welts said that the Mavericks are aiming to add more than one prospect in the draft, who they plan on playing for the team for the long haul. Dallas is projected to have a Top 10 pick and could potentially add more draft capital before the start of the draft.
“It's going to be a really important draft for us as we pick a couple of players, at least, who are probably going to be part of our roster for a long time,” said Welts.
Dallas is in store for a busy offseason. The Mavericks will have to find a new general manager to replace Nico Harrison, ideally before the 2026 NBA Draft. Depending how the draft plays out could determine other moves the club makes in free agency or in trades.
With a 23-47 record and 12 games remaining on the schedule, the Mavericks are well behind in the play-in tournament mix. They have not technically been eliminated yet, but the trajectory for the team is to miss the playoffs entirely. If that's the case, then it would be the second consecutive campaign where Dallas fails to reach the postseason.
We'll see how the postseason plays out for the Mavericks. Depending on the moves the club makes, they could turn things around. Especially considering Cooper Flagg will be going into his second year, and Kyrie Irving is expected to return from injury. Add an exciting prospect, and you have an enticing roster for next season.
