Mavericks have no plans of trading No. 1 ‘gift’
Having beaten long odds to win the top pick in next month’s NBA draft—and blessed with an obvious candidate to become the No. 1 selection—the Dallas Mavericks reportedly aren’t planning to use it as a trade chip.
The Mavericks have their sights set on 18-year-old forward Cooper Flagg, who led Duke to the Final Four in his only season with the Blue Devils, as ESPN on Tuesday cited sources that indicated Dallas isn’t interested in trading the pick.
Patrick Dumont, the Mavericks’ representative on the NBA’s board of governors, appears to have the final say on personnel matters, sources said, and he looks upon the 6-foot-8 Flagg, who piled up numerous awards at Duke, as a “gift.”
Traded Doncic
If Flagg’s prowess and promise weren’t enough of a lure for the franchise—especially general manager Nico Harrison—that traded away superstar Luke Doncic, Dallas no longer controls its first-round draft selections from 2027 to 2030. That draft capital went toward building the roster that advanced to the 2024 NBA Finals.
Flagg, a first-team All-American, also won the Wooden Award as the nation’s top collegiate player and the Associated Press’ national player of the year. At Duke, he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. He shot 48.1 percent from the floor, including 38.5 percent on 3-pointers.
