There is a ton of uncertainty about the present and the future of the Dallas Mavericks. A new head coach hasn't been appointed, and who will actually be on the roster next season is unclear. Whether the team will try to compete or build slowly next season remains to be seen.
Yet, one thing is crystal clear: this is Cooper Flagg's team. Everything the Mavs do from now on has to keep that in the front of their minds.
Starting with their offseason decisions, the Mavs have to think about the best ways to build around Flagg. This includes their picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. Dallas has the No. 9, No. 30, and No. 48 picks in this year's draft. The No. 9 overall pick is obviously the most important one, and the Mavs can't afford to make a mistake.
Mavs have to prioritize shot creation and shooting with the No. 9 pick
The player they draft at nine must complement Flagg. The Mavs need to do a better job of surrounding their young star with shooting and playmaking next season. Their inability to do so last year caused Flagg to carry a big burden, which hurt his efficiency and production. The priority has to be more spacing around the 19-year-old stud and using him more as a play finisher rather than a creator.
Kyrie Irving's return will certainly help there. He will take on the bulk of the ball-handling duties to provide spacing when Flagg is off the ball, thanks to his elite shooting. Yet, the Mavs can't rely on 34-year-old Irving to do that night in and night out for the next several years. Plus, how much longer his tenure in Dallas will last is unclear.
Therefore, the Mavs must try to find a lead perimeter creator in the draft. Fortunately, they will have plenty of fish in the sea in the NBA Draft.
The No. 5-10 range in the draft has multiple on-ball creators who would be an excellent fit next to Flagg. Darius Acuff Jr., Mikel Brown Jr. and Labaron Philon Jr. all fit this archetype, and at least one of these players should be available for Dallas at No. 9. Keaton Wagler would be the perfect pick, but he is unlikely to fall all the way to the Mavs.
Players like Brayden Burries, Nate Ament, and Yaxel Lendeborg are also projected to go mid-to-late lottery. While they can be great complementary players and project to be two-way contributors, that is not what the Mavs need right now. They have to go for star upside, and that requires on-ball creation and shooting chops.
Let's see whether the new Mavs front office agrees, but there's also room to be skeptical with Masai Ujiri's history of liking strong athletic forwards.
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