The direction the Dallas Mavericks were going in was drastically altered on Monday night, as the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Draft Lottery and the ability to select Cooper Flagg after having just 1.8 percent chance to obtain the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. After Mavericks fans were left grieving for the last few months with the Luka Doncic trade, hope has been restored to the fan base, as Flagg has the ability to lead Dallas for years to come if he reaches his full potential.
Many NBA fans and analysts are calling the lottery rigged because of how unprecedented it is Dallas could win the Flagg sweepstakes after making such a horrendous mistake by trading away a generational superstar of their own, but the Mavericks and their fans couldn't be more deserving of this opportunity after what the organization has suffered through since February 1.
Adding Flagg to this Mavericks roster undoubtedly gives the Mavericks a chance to get back to contender status, especially if Kyrie Irving can return at a decent time next season, but there are some additional roster moves the Mavericks will still have to make if they want to balance out their roster upon drafting Flagg.
Mavericks needs to trade Daniel Gafford once they draft Cooper Flagg
The most obvious thing Dallas must now address this offseason, considering they are no longer projected to pick a guard in the late-lottery, is finding another shot creator, as Brandon Williams is currently the only guard under contract next season that can hold down the fort till Irving gets back, besides Jaden Hardy. The best way the Mavericks can do this would be to consolidate some of their frontcourt depth elsewhere in a trade for a guard, and fan-favorite big man Daniel Gafford, unfortunately, may be the best option to ship out if Dallas wants to achieve this goal.
Gafford was in trade rumors last season and has already been rumored to be a trade candidate this summer, and sadly, it may be the end of his Mavericks journey before we know it.
Don't get it twisted, Gafford has been stellar on both sides of the ball since being in Dallas and has proved himself to be a legit starting center in this league, but he makes the most sense to be traded lineup-wise when analyzing what the Mavericks' roster will look like after trading Flagg. For Dallas to have the most optimal spacing, Flagg should play the four with Anthony Davis playing center in closing lineups.
This would slide P.J. Washington to small forward on a permanent basis, and while the Mavericks have a logjam at both wing and big now, trading away Washington instead of Gafford likely would be a worse move considering how valuable wing depth is in today's NBA. With Flagg joining the lineup, he adds to an already monstrous frontcourt in Dallas, and it's illogical to have two players of Gafford and Dereck Lively II's caliber coming off the bench, as one of them would barely see the floor some nights.
Dallas' positional size and center depth will be a huge strength for them next season even if they trade one of their bigs, but Gafford will need to be paid on an extension this summer or after his contract expires next season and Lively II is still on his rookie deal for two more seasons, so the Mavericks should clearly choose the younger option in Lively II if they wish to move off one of their centers.
The Mavericks could easily find a valuable shot creator on the market by combining Gafford's contract with Dwight Powell's or Hardy's, and they could sure up their third-string center slot by signing a more cost-controlled big this season by re-signing Kai Jones or finding another flyer big on a cheap deal.
While trading away Washington is clearly an option for Dallas as well, with him and Gafford both poised to receive career deals next season or this summer if they get extended, Washington's skillset is far more versatile with Dallas' current roster, and he's arguably been even more of a fan favorite than Gafford. Needless to say, it's better to have this issue compared to not moving up in the draft, as Flagg gives the Mavericks so much frontcourt depth they are practically forced to move off one of Gafford or Washington.
