Mavericks trade pitch sends Cooper Flagg to West rival for massive haul

Ivan White

Mavericks trade pitch sends Cooper Flagg to West rival for massive haul image

The Dallas Mavericks have been one of the most interesting teams in the NBA over the past few months, and they could make another wild move.

The Mavericks have been on a roller coaster since the start of last season. Coming off a Finals appearance, the team looked ready to compete for a championship this season.

Instead, they traded Luka Doncic in a shocking deal, but also managed to land the No. 1 pick as a result of their struggles in the aftermath of that trade. With Cooper Flagg as the clear choice for the top pick, Dallas hasn’t seemed willing to listen to any offers for its pick.

However, there could be one team that sneaks into that discussion and makes a blockbuster deal with the Mavericks in the draft. Of course, that team is the Oklahoma City Thunder with their absurd pile of draft picks.

As noted by Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes, the Thunder own all of their future first-round picks and hold another six firsts from other teams. Throw in some combination of Oklahoma City’s young players, such as Nikola Topic, Cason Wallace or Aaron Wiggins, and the Thunder could have an offer that Dallas can’t refuse.

From Dallas’ perspective, this deal could land it with some key role players to surround Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis while also giving them a bit more future flexibility, considering the Mavericks’ future picks situation. Maybe Dallas wouldn’t entertain sending a player who some are calling a generational prospect to a 68-win team only a few hours away.

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However, the Mavericks are clearly unafraid of making controversial decisions, and this could be yet another piece of Nico Harrison’s incredibly interesting GM story.

Ivan White

Ivan White is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. A 2024 graduate of Oklahoma State University. Ivan has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for Sports Illustrated since 2023. As The Sporting News, Ivan will cover the NBA, MLB, and more.