The Dallas Mavericks have publicly stated their intention to select Duke forward Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, scheduled for June 25th. They have also made it clear they are not considering trading this No. 1 selection, even for an established superstar player.
However, what if a trade offer were presented to Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison and team governor Patrick Dumont that was compelling enough to force the organization to at least briefly evaluate the possibility, before ultimately declining?
With less than a month remaining until the two-day draft, we examine some potential scenarios regarding Flagg`s future in professional basketball.
Before securing the top draft position through the lottery, Dallas was already seen as a team capable of competing in the Western Conference next season, contingent on a healthy roster. The addition of the No. 1 pick – granting access to a highly-touted rookie who has been widely considered the undisputed top prospect for the past year – has only heightened these expectations.
Flagg would join a Mavericks squad with 13 players under contract from the previous season`s roster, including Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, who holds a player option. Irving is likely to miss significant time recovering from a torn left ACL sustained in March.
Dallas possesses flexibility to make a trade should a suitable one emerge. Beyond the top pick in June:
- The Mavericks own the Los Angeles Lakers` unprotected first-round pick in 2029 and can trade their own first-round pick in either 2031 or 2032.
- They have 10 players earning salaries between $2 million and $16 million, including Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford.
- Flagg could potentially join a Mavericks roster already featuring numerous talented wings. However, the franchise is currently $17 million over the luxury tax threshold and exceeds both apron levels.
- The Mavericks also have three tradeable first-round picks and two second-round picks.
- A key question is whether ownership would approve trading a No. 1 pick like Flagg for a player such as Milwaukee`s Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has two years remaining on his contract.
We consulted our NBA insiders to develop potential trade proposals for the Mavericks` top pick, focusing on the right to draft Flagg. Let`s explore these deals, starting with the current situation in Dallas ahead of the draft.
Jump to a team:
Dallas | San Antonio | Phoenix
Cleveland | L.A. Lakers | Chicago
On May 12th, mere minutes after the Mavericks won the right to select Flagg, speculation arose among team executives about whether the pick could be available for trade if a suitable offer materialized.
Given General Manager Nico Harrison`s history of aggressive moves, why wouldn`t it be a possibility?
Since taking charge of basketball operations in June 2021, Harrison has executed 16 trades, constantly seeking the ideal player combination to achieve a championship. His most significant move was swapping Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis in February, which positioned the Mavericks in a “win-now” mode, considering Davis`s three years remaining on his contract.
Despite this, sources confirmed to ESPN that the Mavericks plan to select Flagg and will not entertain trading the pick for a proven superstar.
While the temptation exists, especially if a player like Antetokounmpo were to become available, Dallas`s approach is strategically sound from a roster construction perspective.
Financially, Flagg`s four-year rookie contract is comparable to signing a player using the non-taxpayer midlevel exception. His first-year salary of $13.8 million is below the average player salary.
With Davis and Irving already on the roster for next season, replacing Flagg`s salary with that of a player earning over $50 million makes little financial sense.
Furthermore, there is the understanding that first-round picks often remain with their original team beyond their initial contract. The Mavericks could potentially have Flagg under contract for the next four seasons and an additional five years after that. — Bobby Marks
Offer No. 1: Spurs Move Up to Build Frontcourt of the Future
Dallas Mavericks get:
- 2025 No. 2 pick
- 2025 No. 14 pick
- 2027 Atlanta Hawks` first-rounder (unprotected)
- Return of swap rights to Mavericks` 2030 first-rounder
San Antonio Spurs get:
- 2025 No. 1 pick (to select Cooper Flagg)
The primary goal of this trade proposal is to pair Cooper Flagg with Victor Wembanyama, arguably the most hyped No. 1 pick of the decade. This duo could potentially become the modern equivalent of Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Although the Spurs narrowly missed winning the lottery, they possess assets that might entice Dallas to swap the No. 1 pick for No. 2.
What would be the cost of moving up to the top spot in the draft? In 2017, the Philadelphia 76ers only had to send a single future first-round pick to Boston to jump from No. 3 to No. 1. However, that scenario is not a particularly relevant model here because then-Celtics GM Danny Ainge did not value Markelle Fultz, the consensus top prospect in 2017, as highly as Flagg is currently viewed.
Therefore, let`s look at an older draft trade to construct the Spurs` offer.
In 1993, the Golden State Warriors sent three future first-round picks to the Orlando Magic to facilitate a swap, trading the No. 3 pick Penny Hardaway (from Memphis) for the No. 1 pick Chris Webber (from Michigan). This scenario feels more appropriate here, with Flagg standing in for Webber – who, like Flagg, was a highly touted prospect following a standout college career – and Dylan Harper potentially filling the role of Hardaway as a dynamic, large guard.
To bridge the perceived difference between the prospects, San Antonio would send three draft assets to help replenish Dallas`s rather depleted draft stock. The Mavericks would acquire a late lottery pick in the 2025 draft, a potentially valuable unprotected Hawks pick in 2027, and regain the swap rights to their own 2030 first-round pick, which they initially sent to San Antonio in the three-team sign-and-trade deal that brought Grant Williams to Dallas.
This trade would significantly benefit San Antonio, allowing them to establish their frontcourt of the future – potentially a frontcourt that could dominate the NBA for years – without sacrificing any of their own future first-round selections. And as long as the Mavericks hold a favorable view of Harper (or other prospects available at No. 2, such as Ace Bailey or VJ Edgecombe) comparable to their view of Flagg, this swap could also make substantial sense for them. — Zach Kram
Offer No. 2: Cavs Form New Star Trio in Flagg, Mobley and Garland
Dallas Mavericks get:
- Guard Donovan Mitchell
- 2031 first-round pick (via Lakers)
- 2028 first-round swap (via Lakers)
- 2030 first-round swap (via Lakers)
Cleveland Cavaliers get:
- 2025 No. 1 pick (to select Cooper Flagg)
- Guards Jevon Carter and Gabe Vincent
- Forwards Maxi Kleber and P.J. Washington
- Center Daniel Gafford
Los Angeles Lakers get:
- Center Jarrett Allen
Chicago Bulls get:
- Forwards Dalton Knecht and Caleb Martin
- 2026 second-round pick (via Cavaliers)
- 2027 second-round pick (via Nuggets)
- 2028 second-round pick (via Cavaliers)
To quote a famous line, “You want to get crazy? Let`s get crazy.” Would the Cavaliers genuinely dismantle a team that achieved the NBA`s second-best record (64-18) to pursue Flagg? It seems unlikely, but *if* Cleveland concluded that their playoff loss exposed fundamental weaknesses, and *if* they believed re-centering the team around 23-year-old Evan Mobley was the necessary response, this complex four-team trade could potentially benefit everyone involved.
For the Mavericks, Donovan Mitchell is a better fit than Antetokounmpo, who might overcrowd a frontcourt lacking shooting. Mitchell could begin next season as the starting point guard while Irving is injured, then transition to the shooting guard role upon Irving`s return. Additionally, Dallas would finally acquire the Lakers` draft assets they missed out on in the previous trade involving Luka Doncic, essentially betting against the aging curve of the Lakers` star.
Cleveland would establish a new core trio of stars with Flagg, Mobley, and Darius Garland, none older than 25. For the immediate future, the Cavaliers should maintain competitiveness in the Eastern Conference due to their depth and defensive capabilities. A frontcourt featuring Flagg, Mobley, and either Gafford or Washington would rank among the NBA`s elite defensively, while shifting Max Strus to guard would enhance the backcourt`s size.
Because this trade would need to be finalized by June 30th, before Mitchell`s contract extension takes effect and his salary increases from $35.4 million to $46.4 million (which would hard-cap the Mavericks at the first apron), the Cavaliers wouldn`t realize significant savings on their 2025-26 luxury tax bill immediately. However, three of the contracts they receive are expiring, leading to substantial savings in 2026-27. These expiring contracts should also be movable (or eligible for the stretch provision) in future deals using Cleveland`s remaining draft assets.
The Lakers would finally secure their long-sought rim-protecting center in Jarrett Allen, undoubtedly the most valuable big man available to them in terms of current impact. Acquiring Allen would cost them not only the pick, swap rights, and Dalton Knecht (whom they reportedly offered for Mark Williams), but also a second swap right. If the Lakers successfully build around Allen and Doncic as they hope, that second swap might not convey anyway.
Finally, the Chicago Bulls are necessary as a fourth team to ensure none of the other three teams increase their salary, which would trigger the lower luxury tax apron hard cap. Chicago absorbs the remainder of Caleb Martin`s contract in exchange for adding Knecht and all of the Cavaliers` tradeable second-round picks. — Kevin Pelton
Offer No. 3: Mavs Pick Up Booker and Elite Big-Man Depth
Dallas Mavericks get:
- Devin Booker
- 2025 first-rounder (No. 29)
- 2028 first-rounder (least favorable of own, Knicks and Wizards)
- 2029 first-round pick swap (least favorable of Cavs, Timberwolves and Jazz)
Phoenix Suns get:
- 2025 No. 1 pick (to select Cooper Flagg)
- Klay Thompson
- P.J. Washington
- Naji Marshall
- Caleb Martin
The premise of this trade proposal – involving a potential NBA megastar – is to highlight the Mavericks` current need to improve their roster immediately. The trade for Anthony Davis already put the Mavericks on a “win-now” timeline centered around the 32-year-old Davis and 33-year-old Irving, making a move to trade future potential for immediate impact logical. Within these parameters, acquiring Devin Booker would make significant sense.
The Mavericks, in their current configuration, possess strong big-man depth and an All-Star point guard in Irving but could greatly benefit from another dynamic perimeter threat on the wing. Dallas requires an elite playmaker capable of leading the team while Irving is sidelined, but who can also play alongside him upon his return.
Enter Devin Booker, who was a First Team All-NBA shooting guard in 2021-22 and is squarely in his prime at 28 years old. A healthy core of Davis, Irving, and Booker would immediately be a championship contender, and Booker would remain a central piece even as Davis and Irving eventually decline. Furthermore, Dallas receives additional draft considerations in this deal.
For the Phoenix Suns, this offseason feels like a potential turning point towards a complete roster overhaul and rebuilding phase. Their attempt to succeed with a lineup featuring three primary scorers without sufficient supporting talent did not yield the desired results, their salary cap situation is highly problematic, and they have already traded away multiple future draft assets.
It has been widely rumored that Phoenix might also trade Kevin Durant this offseason. If the Suns were to complete a Durant trade before this one, they might possess more assets to enhance their offer for Flagg. As it stands, acquiring Flagg`s potential to be their franchise cornerstone for the next generation would represent immense value, even if it means parting with Booker and all the draft considerations they could include.
In the hypothetical scenario where Durant is traded before the draft, the Suns` ability to include potential assets from that deal would most likely enable them to construct a more competitive offer than the one suggested here. — Andre Snellings
And the one trade that is hard to pass on …
Bobby Marks offers his perspective on the most realistic trade scenario and explains why or why not it might be feasible:
The proposed trades involving Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker make the most sense if the Mavericks were solely operating on the two-to-three-year timeline that Nico Harrison outlined after acquiring Anthony Davis. However, that same timeline significantly expanded by an additional eight years when Dallas won the draft lottery and earned the right to select Cooper Flagg, an impactful defender and versatile talent.
Trading away the first overall pick is undoubtedly a risk, considering Flagg`s high upside and his potential fit alongside Davis. But the scenario where the Mavericks move back just one spot to No. 2 to draft a player like Dylan Harper and simultaneously acquire three additional draft assets, including another first-round pick in this year`s lottery, presents a compelling option that is difficult to ignore.
Recall that the Boston Celtics traded the No. 1 pick to Philadelphia in the 2017 draft and went on to select future six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum just two picks later at No. 3.
More importantly, acquiring the two unprotected first-round picks from Atlanta (2027) and the Lakers (2029) would position the Mavericks favorably at the front of the line if a superstar player like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kevin Durant were to become available for trade in the future.
