Mavericks make bold Cooper Flagg decision

It’s been a whirlwind few months for fans of the Dallas Mavericks. They lost five-time NBA All-Star Luka Doncic in a blockbuster trade with the LA Lakers; suffered a raft of crucial injuries; and missed out on the playoffs entirely.

Now, however, the team’s luck may just be changing. Despite going into Monday’s NBA Draft Lottery with a 1.8% chance of bagging the No. 1 pick, the Mavericks saw their name pulled out to earn themselves a transformative draft selection.

The projected No. 1 pick is Duke forward Cooper Flagg, who is one of the most talked-about prospects of recent years. The Mavericks can therefore draft in the centerpiece of their new team, or look to trade the right to draft Flagg for a hefty price. With Giannis Antekounmpo considering a move away from Milwaukee, could the Mavericks look to swap Flagg for a proven winner?

At the moment, reports suggest not. ESPN cites sources close to Mavericks’ governor Patrick Dumont that state that he sees the opportunity to draft Flagg as “a gift” to the franchise. As far as Dumont is concerned, Cooper Flagg will be a Dallas Mavericks player next season.

And while Nico Harrison is in charge of the sporting project, it is Dumont who has the final say on all personnel matters. The Mavericks have already traded away a lot of first round draft capital for upcoming drafts, so they would really benefit from a certified star to add now.

The Mavericks have not yet confirmed what they will do with their No. 1 pick but CEO Rick Welts was full of praise for Flagg when asked about the prospect on Tuesday.

“I don’t know who we’re going to take, but should we take him, I think his résumé is pretty strong,” Welts said. “Every time he’s put in a situation that everyone wondered if he could succeed, he’s succeeded and then some.”

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