Cooper Flagg Is a No-Brainer, Which Is Exactly Why Dallas Mavericks Might Screw It Up

Supposedly, the Dallas Mavericks have already done everything but submit their pick to the commissioner.

On June 25, they have been leaking to the world, they’re going to spend the No. 1 selection in the 2025 NBA Draft on 18-year-old Cooper Flagg.

For example, here’s what Hoops HQ has attributed to sources within the Mavericks organization: “We are 100 percent drafting Cooper Flagg. There will be no trades for our pick on draft night.”

Welp, guess that’s it.

Nothing to see here.

No way the Mavericks won’t pick the reigning college player of the year, the 6-foot-7¾, 221-pound forward who averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game for the Final Four-qualifying Duke Blue Devils.

He can jump, he can shoot, he can defend, he has flair, he has no problem taking shots in the clutch. There’s nothing not to like — no reason not to draft him No. 1.

But this is the Mavericks we’re talking about. If Mavs general manager Nico Harrison has the stones to trade Luka Dončić, then he has no compunction about trading the No. 1 pick. More important: It’s his job to find out whether the Mavs would be better served by making a deal.

And with 33-year-old Kyrie Irving and 32-year-old Anthony Davis being the Mavs’ best player, how does it help their chances to win an NBA title by adding someone who was in preschool when Kyrie won the NBA’s 2012 Rookie of the Year award?

Just in case Nico needs any help — and judging by the Dončić deal, he does — we’re going to propose a few trades and play: Who Says No?

No. 1: Flagg for Nikola Jokić. Who says no?

Jokić has won three of the NBA’s last four MVP awards — and he’s one of the three finalists for this year’s award. While he’s 30 years old, which suggests he’s nearing the end of his prime, he just set career highs for scoring (29.6 ppg), assists (10.2 apg), 3-pointers (138), 3-point accuracy (41.7%) and steals (1.8 spg), and enjoyed his second-best rebounding season (12.7 rpg).

If the Mavs acquired Jokić and paired him with Davis and Irving, they would immediately become the title favorites next year. But the Nuggets have to say no. It slams their window shut.

No. 2: Flagg for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Who says no?

The Greek Freak is only 75 days older than Jokić, and he’s one of the MVP finalists, too, which means he’s guaranteed to finish in the top four for MVP for the seventh straight season. He’s fantastic, and the Bucks need to find a way to start over because they’re too old and too expensive.

But Giannis isn’t an equal to Jokić in any way. Among other things, his body seems to be breaking down more rapidly than Jokić’s. He also shot 22.2% from three, so he’s deficient in one of the most important aspects of the game. The Mavs say no to this one.

No. 3: Young guys out there with a higher ceiling than Flagg?

The Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama? Oh, the Spurs say no — unless they can’t stop laughing long enough to spit out the succinct syllable. The Celtics’ Jayson Tatum? Before he ruined his Achilles tendon, it would have been worth a legit discussion because he’d fit that Mavs lineup perfectly.

Anthony Edwards, who’s a mere 23 years old? That would be a fascinating trade, but the Timberwolves say no. They’re too invested in him and he’s developing into the new face of the NBA. Detroit point guard Cade Cunningham, who’s also 23? That’s worth a discussion.

No. 4: Flagg for SGA. Who says no?

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins Jokić and Giannis as the finalists for MVP. He led the league in scoring (32.7 ppg) and win shares (16.7) this season as the Thunder posted the NBA’s best record. He seems like he gets every call from the officials, which is a great thing to have on your side. He turns 27 in July, so he’s primed for several more prime-time seasons.

There is literally no reason for the Thunder to say yes. They’re teeming with young talent already and don’t need to reset their window. So we’re declaring the Thunder would be a hard no. That’s probably a huge #duh statement, right? So, let’s ask a spinoff question.

If Nico Harrison somehow pulled off a Flagg-for-SGA swap, would he be back in Mavs fans’ good graces? Or is there no such thing as coming back from the Dončić deal?

Considering Dončić belonged to Mavs fans, there’s probably no chance here for Nico to be forgiven. Unless he also asked for (and got) Chet Holmgren. And Jalen Williams.

And included himself in the swap in exchange for Thunder GM Sam Presti.