The Dallas Mavericks are entering the 2026 NBA Draft armed with the No. 9 pick. Recent reports suggest that new team president Masai Ujiri is keeping his options open, which include trading the pick.
Whether that would be to trade up, down, or out of the pick entirely is unclear, but the Mavs have a ton of optionality with one week left before the draft.
Let's assume that they will stand pat and make a selection at nine. Among the prospects expected to be available there, who would be the best options for the Mavericks?
Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Louisville
The top three prospects in most big boards who had a pre-draft workout with the Mavs are Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, and Keaton Wagler. While all three would be very solid options for the Bucks at No. 9, Brown is not only the most likely one to be available but also the best fit.
Brown has as high an upside as any prospect outside the top four. He is an all-around offensive weapon who can be an elite scorer, shooter, and pick-and-roll operator. The talent jumps off the screen in any Brown tape you watch, as he has the prototypical build and skill set of a modern point guard.
The main concern for Brown is the extended time he missed due to a nagging back injury last season. According to a front office executive who spoke to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, however, that injury is a thing of the past, and Brown has been dominating his workouts.
If Brown is available at No. 9, he would be the perfect offensive engine to build around Cooper Flagg. It's also hard to imagine a prospect who could benefit more from Kyrie Irving's mentorship.
Brayden Burries, PG/SG, Arizona
Burries is a popular name on mock drafts for the Mavs. In fact, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie reported that Burries is the name he hears the most with Dallas.
It's not difficult to understand why. Burries can do it all and can fit anywhere thanks to his ability to play on or off the ball. He may not have the same upside as Brown or other lead guards in the draft, but he may have a much higher floor. Burries is NBA-ready thanks to his ability to shoot, pass, and defend.
Flagg projects to be an on-ball star. This means that Dallas has to surround him with complementary players who can hit open shots and defend at a high level. Add in his elite transition ability, and Burries becomes a solid fit for the Mavs.
Cameron Carr, SG/SF, Baylor
This one is admittedly a little out of left field. Carr is mostly projected to be drafted out of the lottery, so this would be a reach for the Mavs. But he would be one of the best fits for Dallas, even though he hasn't worked out for Dallas so far in the pre-draft process.
It looks like Dallas wants to hold onto Kyrie Irving to start next season. This suggests the Mavs will try to win as many games as they can. Carr marries immediate contribution with long-term upside as well as any prospect outside of the top four of the draft.
Carr has good positional size and an elite wingspan. He is on the skinnier side, but that is to be expected of most prospects at this stage of their development. He projects to be a solid three-and-D player who can be much more than that. He was one of the best shot-blocking perimeter players in the country last season. He can make shots from all over the court, but doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective.
Given that Cooper Flagg will have the ball in his hands a ton, having a complementary off-ball player like Carr around him would be ideal.
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