The Dallas Mavericks will be on the clock with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
For a team that already has Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg leading the way, the Mavericks aren’t exactly looking for the next superstar for the franchise. Instead, they are looking for players that can complement the core and become long-term options for the future.
“You’ve got Cooper Flagg who can hoop, period,” NBA Draft Lottery representative Rolando Blackman said via team reporter Dwain Price. “The important
factor is (the players around Flagg) have to be overall strong players and have the overall opportunity to pass the basketball and to be able to now shoot the basketball.
“Any time you have a player that can go downhill and take it to the basket – just like Kyrie can, just like Flagg can – the important factor is to remember when you pass that basketball, you’ve got to be able to have somebody that can put that ball in the hole and take advantage of all the advantages that they’ve just given you with their talents.”
This doesn’t necessarily mean the Mavericks will target a guard, especially since passing is such an important part of how frontcourt players go from good to great. Most centers coming into the league have to pass like guards in order to make it in the NBA, and the Mavs hope to have that with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II.
For a team that won just 26 games last season, the Mavs can’t be too picky about the position of their next rookie. Instead, they need to focus on who is the best player available.
In a draft that is very deep, the Mavericks should be able to add to their core with someone like Arizona’s Brayden Burries or Labaron Philon Jr. from Alabama.
Mavs Moneyball community, should the team go with the best player available or is there a specific player they should target with the No. 9 pick? Keep the conversation flowing in the comments below.
