Every dog has his day, even the Dallas Mavericks. Despite the vicious response to their decision to trade former face of the franchise Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, it seems as if the basketball gods decided to be merciful during the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. With less than a two percent chance to win the No. 1 pick, they now have the first opportunity to draft Duke Blue Devils freshman forward Cooper Flagg.
Jaylen Brown For The No. 1 Pick?
At this point, it’s exceedingly obvious that Dallas has honed in on Flagg.
Immediately after landing the top pick, former Mavericks great Ronaldo Blackman spoke highly of Flagg. Mavs head coach Jason Kidd, who had a pessimistic attitude heading into the lottery, has been evaluating and praising Flagg. Flagg and his camp are said to be excited about the prospect of his playing for Dallas.
On top of that, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reports that that the Mavericks won’t trade the pick. They won’t even move it for Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo should he become available, according to The Stein Line’s Marc Stein. Essentially, they’re spooked by the reaction to trading Doncic, a highly popular player. With that being said, Flagg has amassed so much hype that bypassing him will also incense fans.
Furthermore, Anthony Davis (32), Kyrie Irving (33), and Klay Thompson (35) are all on the wrong side of 30. Thus, having a young co-star like Flagg —who doesn’t have nearly as much wear and tear —could be beneficial. It’s similar to the approach the San Antonio Spurs took at the twilight of their dynasty. With Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli all exiting their primes, a young Kawhi Leonard was able to step up and help the Spurs remain formidable.
Nevertheless, turning down a two-time MVP who’s still in his prime for an 18-year-old is even more questionable than the Doncic trade. Furthermore, it somewhat flies in the face of the rationale for the Doncic trade. Flagg’s defensive impact is certainly what Nico Harrison was looking for. Yet, he also discussed trading Doncic for an older star as a win-now move.
The Real Question
Despite the rumors that the Mavs won’t trade the No. 1 pick, an unexpected franchise sought out a meeting with Flagg. That team wasn’t the Bucks but the Boston Celtics, according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor. There are several reasons why this was an important encounter:
Firstly, as previously mentioned, the Mavericks have a legitimate reason to consider trading the No. 1 pick. Secondly, there’s been a constant stream of rumors that Boston’s considering making a major change to their roster. Thirdly, Celtics franchise cornerstone Jayson Tatum recently ruptured his Achilles. Lastly, Flagg is a lifelong fan of the Celtics and probably would like to play for them.
With that in mind, could Dallas trade the No. 1 pick to the Celtics for a package headlined by Jaylen Brown?
A four-time All-Star who dominates at both ends, Brown has averaged as many as 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. At 28 years old, he’s a bit younger than Antetokounmpo (30). To Harrison’s liking, he’s a superior athlete who takes pride in taking care of his body. He’s also a champion who has excelled under the brightest lights, winning Eastern Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP in 2024.
His guard skills and shot-selection could still use refinement. Yet, he’s arguably more skilled than Antetokounmpo. He’s obviously more proven than Flagg, who’s certainly talented but still a neophyte.
The real question that the Mavs have to ask is: Would they have turned down the chance to trade for Brown, let alone Antetokounmpo, if they didn’t feel like the most hated franchise in the league?
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