With the NBA draft less than a month away, the Dallas Mavericks are on the clock and they’ve made it very clear: Cooper Flagg is their guy. He’s the sort of transformative prospect that franchises dream of, and it feels like a foregone conclusion he’ll be the new cornerstone in Dallas. But this is the NBA, and a front office’s duty is to explore every single possibility. While trading the number one pick seems unthinkable, the desperation of other teams can lead to offers so monumental they demand consideration.
The only conversations worth having would involve a franchise-altering return. One such call could come from the ambitious Detroit Pistons, a team fresh off a playoff berth and looking to pair a second, undisputed star with Cade Cunningham. To do so, they could offer a package of their own blue-chip prospects, sending the elite defensive wing Ausar Thompson and dominant young center Jalen Duren to Dallas, along with a massive haul of future, unprotected first-round picks.
Then there’s the “win-now and win-later” scenario, possibly presented by the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are in the unique position of already having a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama and a surplus of draft assets. The terrifying prospect of pairing Wembanyama with Flagg might just tempt them into making an offer Dallas can’t ignore. San Antonio could dangle established wing Devin Vassell and the physical scorer Keldon Johnson, instantly elevating the Mavericks’ current roster. The centerpiece of this deal, however, would be the Spurs sending their #2 overall pick in this very draft, allowing Dallas to select another elite prospect. To seal it, they could add two more future unprotected first-round picks. This trade would make the Mavericks a more formidable team immediately while still securing top-tier young talent and future flexibility.
Finally, there’s the truly audacious “empty the clip” offer. This is where a team like the Brooklyn Nets, in desperate search of a franchise cornerstone and holding a dizzying number of other teams’ draft picks, could come into play. The Nets could construct a massive offer that would be all about asset accumulation for Dallas. They could send versatile wing Ziaire Williams and sharpshooter Cam Johnson to the Mavericks, providing immediate veteran help. But the real haul would be in the draft capital: Brooklyn’s four first-round picks in this year’s draft, plus three more unprotected firsts in the coming years. For the price of Cooper Flagg, Dallas would gain unprecedented control of the draft for the foreseeable future, able to build a young dynasty piece by piece or package the picks for the next superstar who becomes available.
Here’s the thing folks: In the high-stakes chess match of the NBA, you always have to see the whole board. You have to answer the phone. And if an offer of that magnitude ever materializes, the Mavericks wouldn’t just be right to consider it—they’d be required to.
With that… Let’s be clear, the smart money, and almost all the money, is on Cooper Flagg wearing a Dallas Mavericks cap on draft night. He is a phenomenal prospect and the logical choice. But if an offer of that magnitude ever materializes, the Mavericks wouldn’t just be right to consider it—they’d be essentially required to.