Subscribe
Follow Us
The Dallas Mavericks struck gold in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. Despite only having the 11th-best odds to land the top pick, the ping pong balls landed Dallas' way, and they shot up all the way to the top slot.
The Mavericks needed some luck after the heavily scrutinized Luka Doncic trade. They now have a chance to draft Cooper Flagg to take over as the team's next young star. The 6-foot-9 forward from Duke is viewed as one of the best NBA Draft prospects ever, as he can truly do it all on the hardwood.
Because of how highly touted he is, as well the assumption that he'd fit well alongside Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, there is next to no chance that the Mavericks would trade away the No. 1 draft pick.
Fans were already coming for general manager Nico Harrison's head after he traded Doncic, and another trade that would take away the chance to draft Flagg would likely lead to rioting in the streets.
However, the Mavericks are built to win sooner rather than later, and draft prospects don't always translate to the professional game immediately. So are there any semi-realistic trade packages involving the pick that will become Flagg that the Mavericks would consider? In all likelihood, the answer is no.
The reigning college basketball Player of the Year is only 18 years old, but he already looks pro-ready. While there are some big-name superstars who will potentially be on the trading block this offseason, most of them are super expensive, so Flagg's rookie-scale contract wouldn't be enough to match salary, meaning the Mavs would have to give up even more than just the prospect.
Note: Each of these trade proposals would need to be made after the Mavericks drafted Flagg in order to make the money work. Flagg's rookie scale contract will pay him $13.8 million in year one.
Mavericks add another superstar over 30 years old
Mavericks receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, 2031 first-round pick
Bucks receive: Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Max Christie, Dwight Powell, Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Giannis Antetokounmpo is undeniably one of the best players in the NBA today. In fact, the two-time MVP is one of the greatest players in NBA history. In all likelihood, it would take this level of a superstar to pry Flagg away from the Mavericks.
Even with how talented Antetokounmpo is, the Mavericks would likely still be hesitant to trade Flagg for him because the Greek Freak is already 30 years old.
While Antetokounmpo is a freak of nature who still has plenty of time left being elite in the NBA, he doesn't have as bright of a future as Flagg does. The Duke product is so young, and although all prospects have a chance of busting out, Flagg is viewed as one of the surest things in draft history.
Harrison has shown a willingness to do what nobody expects, though, and Antetokounmpo certainly fits the mold of the defensive-minded star who the general manager has a soft spot for – although Flagg is also a great defensive player.
The Mavericks traded Doncic for Davis reportedly because of what Davis brings on the defensive side. Davis doesn't have the most prestigious defensive hardware like Antetokounmpo does, though, and that is, of course, the Defensive Player of the Year trophy.
A trio of Antetokounmpo, Davis, and Irving would make the Mavericks immediate title favorites once the point guard returns from his torn ACL. Even after trading a handful of key role players, such as Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, and Max Christie, the Mavericks would still have P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively, Caleb Martin, and Jaden Hardy in the rotation.
With Antetokounmpo on the roster, the Mavericks would be big and strong, and teams would have a tough time against them in the paint on both sides of the court.
Mavericks take advantage of Suns' imminent rebuild
Mavericks receive: Devin Booker, 2025 first-round pick (from Rockets via Suns), 2027 first-round pick (from Rockets via Suns)
Suns receive: Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Max Christie, Dwight Powell, Brandon Williams, Jalen Green, Jock Landale, Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore
Rockets receive: Kevin Durant
The Phoenix Suns seem destined to blow things up, and the Mavericks could get in on the action. Kevin Durant is as good as gone in Phoenix, but because he is 36 years old, it wouldn't make sense for the Mavericks to trade a coveted rookie for someone so close to retirement.
Devin Booker is less likely to be moved, but if the Suns embrace a rebuild, they might go all-in on trading their stars. Booker is only 28 years old, so he'd make a lot more sense in a trade return for the Mavericks, whereas the Houston Rockets could covet a veteran like Durant who could get them over the top.
In this massive three-team trade, the Mavericks walk away with Booker and two premier draft picks. The first-rounders come by way of Houston, but they are originally the Suns' picks.
Because the Suns are rebuilding in the context of this trade, the 2027 first-rounder could be near the top of the draft. The 2025 first-round pick is at pick No. 10, meaning the Mavericks could still select in the lottery even after trading Flagg.
Booker is the big piece here, though. A backcourt duo of Irving and Booker would be nearly as potent as Doncic and Irving were together, and Davis, Gafford, Washington, and Lively could still pick up the slack on defense.
A Flagg trade is unlikely in any context, but if it were to happen, it would likely be for a superstar who still has a lot of his prime left. Booker certainly fits the bill in that regard. Additionally, with Davis and Irving being injury prone and aging, adding additional draft capital as both insurance and as a way to kick off the next era of Dallas basketball could be smart.
Mavericks get a new lead guard
Mavericks receive: Ja Morant, GG Jackson, Vince Williams, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick
Grizzlies receive: Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, Brandon Williams, Dwight Powell, Olivier-Maxence Prosper
A trade with the Memphis Grizzlies is the least likely of these semi-realistic trades involving Flagg. Ja Morant, while talented, has had his fair share of issues in recent seasons, so he likely isn't as valued as Antetokounmpo or Booker. However, there is no telling what Harrison will do in the trade market.
Morant is only 25 years old, too, so if the Mavericks did want to trade Flagg, moving him for someone somewhat closer to his age could make sense. Irving will miss most or all of the 2025-26 season because of his ACL injury. If the Mavericks still want to compete next year, then they will need a point guard who can carry the burden.
Despite Morant's recent injuries and maturity issues, he still has quite the resume for such a young player, and there was a point in time when he was viewed as the potential next face of the NBA.
Morant is an elite slasher who has averaged as much as 27.4 points per game over the course of an entire season. There is a good chance that he can re-establish himself as one of the very best players in the NBA as he likely hasn't reached his on-court peak yet.
Some would question Morant's fit alongside Irving once the former No. 1 overall pick returns to action. However, many questioned how Irving could play alongside another ball-dominant guard like Doncic, and that pairing worked out just fine.
Dallas would also be happy to get GG Jackson and Vince Williams in this trade. Jackson averaged 14.6 points per game as a rookie before injuries slowed him down in year two. He still has tons of potential as a scorer. Williams is a solid role player who particularly thrives on the defensive end.
At the end of the day, Flagg is likely destined to be drafted by and remain with the Mavericks. There aren't a lot of trade packages that make sense for Dallas involving the presumptive No. 1 pick.
The Mavericks would make up for their wrongs of trading Doncic by taking the youngster from Maine. However, that Doncic trade proves that nobody can predict what the Mavericks under Nico Harrison have up their sleeves, so perhaps they would consider one of the aforementioned trade packages.
