The team is only in a position to draft that prospect because it was bad. It takes a few years to get good. Keeping a good team together is expensive and not really possible indefinitely in the current CBA environment.

The Dallas Mavericks have become the NBA’s most unpredictable headline-makers in 2025. Just months after shocking the league by trading away generational talent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February,

Mychal Thompson made a joke about the Dallas Mavericks eventually trading Cooper Flagg to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after a three point basket against the Houston Cougars during the first half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images