Since the day Nico Harrison traded Luka Doncic, Dallas’ GM has been heavily criticized. Fans of the team could not comprehend why Harrison would part ways with an All-NBA talent like Doncic.
The Mavericks finished 39-43 in 2024-25, 10th in the West. Dallas had a 1.8% chance to land the #1 pick at Monday’s draft lottery. However, the Mavs were extremely lucky. With the fourth-longest odds in draft history, Dallas won the draft lottery and the right to select #1 next month. That means the 2024-25 AP Player of the Year, Cooper Flagg, is heading to Dallas. How quickly can the Flagg make the Mavericks a contender in the West?
After trading Luka Doncic, the Mavericks will reload by drafting Cooper Flagg
For the first time ever, we won the LOTTERY 💰#MFFL pic.twitter.com/gp1NlDbY6k
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 12, 2025
On Monday night, the Jazz, Hornets, and Wizards had a 14% chance to land the #1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. They had the three worst records in 2024-25. However, all three fell out of the top four. With Utah, Charlotte, and Washington sliding out of the top three, Dallas, Philadelphia, and San Antonio moved up the board. The Mavericks had a 1.8% chance to land the #1 pick. It’s the first time in franchise history that the Mavs have won the NBA draft lottery.
With the first overall selection in June, the Dallas Mavericks are expected to take the consensus #1 pick, Cooper Flagg, out of Duke. The 21-year-old played his lone collegiate season with the Blue Devils. Averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game, Flagg won AP Player of the Year. As the consensus #1 pick, there’s pressure on Flagg to be a star at the next level.
The moment we won 🙌 #MFFL pic.twitter.com/KfsitX1tFE
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 13, 2025
We saw a similar situation when Zion Williamson was the #1 pick out of Duke in 2019. Cooper Flagg will join a Dallas Mavericks team that already has veteran talent. Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving can help mentor Flagg. Irving is out until at least January due to a knee injury. How quickly can a player like Flagg help change the outlook in Dallas? He was a dominant force at the collegiate level, but the NBA is a different animal. The Dallas Mavericks have a new lease on life after landing the #1 pick after Monday’s NBA Draft lottery.
Cooper Flagg can do it all on the court. He’s now known for having one skill that will blow you out of the water. Rather, he’s a polished product heading into the NBA that should have a smooth transition. The addition of Cooper Flagg to the starting lineup is ideal for Nico Harrison’s vision. Depending on who plays PF and C next season, the Mavs could have three players who are 6’8 or taller. Harrison said defense wins championships, and that’s partially why he traded Luka Doncic. How quickly can Cooper Flagg make Dallas a contender in the Western Conference?
