With the Dallas Mavericks winning the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft despite having just a 1.8 percent chance to do so, the word that the NBA world has honed on is rigged. ‘How could the Mavs go from the butt of the joke to capturing the Cooper Flagg,’ they wonder? Did NBA commissioner Adam Silver make a Faustian deal to deliver Duke’s stud to the D-Town if they sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers?
It all sounds so far-fetched that it should be in a movie script or the latest fantasy bestseller. So much so that it distracts from what could become a very real scenario. Indeed, everyone focused on the fact the Mavericks won the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery should be diverting their attention to one word, and it’s not rigged.
Will Nico Harrison’s Mavs Trade No. 1 Pick?
The word “maverick” has two definitions, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary:
1. “an unbranded range animal” (e.g., “a motherless calf”)
2. “an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party”
To many, this might be fitting when evaluating the current state of the franchise. There seems to be both the Mavericks organization and Nico Harrison’s Mavericks.
The difference between the two is simple. On the whole, the Mavericks are the franchise that was established in 1980 and has a relatively rich history. Meanwhile, Harrison’s Mavericks have been audacious to the point of appearing asinine.
Since Harrison was hired as general manager and president of basketball operations in 2021, Dallas has notably traded Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis in deals that didn’t appear to favor them. Yet, they attainted Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving in those trades or using pieces they acquired from them. When he traded Tim Hardaway Jr. for Quentin Grimes it was questionable because of the latter’s non-linear development. Then when he traded Grimes for Caleb Martin it was head-scratcher because he had been outperforming Hardaway.
Considering Harrison’s also traded for Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington and Dereck Lively II, he’s truly the NBA’s mad hatter. With that in mind, the idea that he’ll just sitting on the No. 1 pick waiting for it to hatch is ludicrous. If Harrison’s proven anything, it’s that he’ll take chances.
Trade Scenarios
This offseason, there should legitimately be a handful of high-level players who find themselves on the trade block. Armed with the No. 1 pick and a couple of quality but expendable players, the Mavericks might be able to pull off an even bigger heist than they did on Monday.
The idea of landing a star like San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, or Minnesota Timberwolves wing Anthony Edwards is probably a pipe dream. These three specific players are young, budding faces of the NBA. However, there are other MVP-caliber talents that are realistic targets for Dallas.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will be at the top of multiple teams’ wishlists this offseason. The Mavericks should be one of them. Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant is older. Nonetheless, his skillset would blend beautifully with the stars they already have. Notably, both Antetokounmpo and Durant can make a positive impact at both ends, which presumably matters a lot to Harrison.
It’ll take more than the No. 1 pick to land either player, not in the least because they have to match salaries. Still, there are worse places to start the conversation.
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