It sounds like the Dallas Mavericks have tons of choices to get their perfect Cooper Flagg running mate, but they have to hit now, as they won't fully control their first-round pick until 2031. One name who's a perfect fit for Dallas is Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. NBA reporter Jake Fischer has reported that Clippers staffers have been impressed with Brayden Burries during his visit to Los Angeles.
Fischer adds that Burries is "very much under consideration for the fifth pick." Burries, the Arizona guard, has been the consensus to go to the Mavericks. Sam Vecenie from The Athletic repeated that same point in his latest mock draft.
But if the Clippers make the leap of faith to pick Burries, this opens the door for a potential Mavericks dream pick.
The Mavericks' chances to draft Keaton Wagler are very much alive
The Clippers have already said they aren't head over heels for Wagler, and if we combine that with the Clippers being impressed with Burries, then Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz need to look at that as a gold coin.
If the Clippers aren't bluffing here and Burries is picked at No. 5, that could mean Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff Jr. and Kingston Flemings to be picked from the 6-8 range. If that happens, it easily opens the door for Dallas to pick Wagler.
Even if Wagler is picked before the Mavericks, they could still make an emergency trade and trade up for Wagler. The Mavs would probably be giving away their No. 30 selection. There also may not be a trade-up for No. 9 because the Mavs reportedly want to trade up from No. 30. They're also open to trades in either direction at No. 9, so anything is possible.
The Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings are also interested in Wagler, as he would be a Day 1 star with either organization. From the Mavs' standpoint, a Wagler pick works out the way they want it. Kyrie Irving could still play the point guard position, while the 6-foot-6 Wagler could play the shooting guard.
Wagler can't be passed up on if he surprisingly lands at No. 9. He shoots from NBA range and drives inside even against the most physical defenders. He sees himself as a perfect fit next to Flagg, and it's the ideal guard/forward combo the Mavs need for the foreseeable future.
The Clippers looking at Burries could change everything, and it may push Wagler all the way to No. 9 if the stars align.
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