The Dallas Mavericks are said to have completed all the necessary steps except submitting their selection to the commissioner.
They leaked to the globe on June 25 that they will draft 18-year-old Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
For instance, Hoops HQ has cited the following information from Mavericks sources: “We absolutely intend to draft Cooper Flagg. On draft night, our choice will not be traded.
Alright, I suppose that’s all.
There is nothing to see.
The Mavericks will undoubtedly select the 6-foot-7¾, 221-pound big, the current college player of the year, who averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game for the Duke Blue Devils, who qualified for the Final Four.
He has flare, can leap, shoot, defend, and he has no trouble making critical shots. Nothing about him is objectionable, and there is no reason not to select him first overall.
However, we are referring to the Mavericks here. Nico Harrison, the general manager of the Mavs, has no qualms about moving the first selection if he has the resources to do so with Luka Dončić. More importantly, it is his responsibility to determine if a transaction will benefit the Mavs.
How does the addition of a youngster who was in preschool when Kyrie Irving won the NBA’s 2012 Rookie of the Year award improve the Mavs’ prospects of winning an NBA championship, given that their greatest players are 33-year-old Kyrie Irving and 32-year-old Anthony Davis?
We’re going to suggest a couple deals and play in case Nico needs any assistance, as the Dončić deal suggests he does: Who Refuses?
No. 1: Flagg for Nikola Jokić. Who says no?
Jokić is one of the three contenders for this year’s MVP award and has won three of the NBA’s previous four. He just established career highs for scoring (29.6 ppg), assists (10.2 apg), 3-pointers (138), 3-point accuracy (41.7%), and steals (1.8 spg), and he had his second-best rebounding season (12.7 rpg), despite the fact that he is 30 years old, which indicates he is reaching the end of his prime.
The Mavs would be the clear favorites to win the championship the following season if they signed Jokić and matched him with Davis and Irving. However, the Nuggets must decline. Their window is slammed shut.
No. 2: Flagg for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Who says no?
The Greek Freak will undoubtedly place in the top four for MVP for the eighth consecutive season because he is only 75 days older than Jokić and is also a finalist for the award. He is outstanding, and since the Bucks are too old and costly, they must figure out a way to start anew.
However, Giannis is by no means on par with Jokić. His corpse appears to be decomposing more quickly than Jokić’s, among other factors. He is lacking in one of the most crucial areas of the game, as he also shot 22.2% from three. This one is rejected by the Mavs.
No. 3: Young guys out there with a higher ceiling than Flagg?
Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs? The Spurs say no, unless they can’t contain their laughter long enough to spit out the short word. The Jayson Tatum of the Celtics? He would have been a fantastic match for that Mavs lineup, thus it would have been worth a serious conversation before he injured his Achilles tendon.
Anthony Edwards, only twenty-three? The Timberwolves say no to a trade that would be intriguing. They have too much invested in him, and he is becoming the NBA’s new face. Detroit point guard Cade Cunningham, who’s also 23? That’s worth a conversation.
No. 4: Flagg for SGA. Who says no?
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins Jokić and Giannis as the contenders for MVP. He topped the league in scoring (32.7 ppg) in win shares (16.7) this season as the Thunder established the NBA’s best record. It’s fantastic to have him on your side since he appears to get every call from the authorities. He is ready for a number of more prime-time seasons, as he turns 27 in July.
The Thunder have absolutely no justification for saying yes. They don’t need to reset their window because they already have an abundance of youthful potential. Therefore, we’re saying that the Thunder would be a resounding no. That’s probably a huge #duh statement, right? So, let’s ask a spinoff question.
Would Nico Harrison win back the favor of Mavs supporters if he were to somehow pull off a Flagg-for-SGA trade? Or is returning from the Dončić deal a non-existence?
Given that Dončić belongs to Mavs supporters, Nico is unlikely to be pardoned in this case. Unless he also requested—and received—Chert Holmgren. Jalen Williams, too.
and added himself to the trade in return for Thunder general manager Sam Presti.
