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Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif
Dallas benefited from an exceptional combination of circumstances to secure the first pick in the 2025 draft. In other words, we can expect Cooper Flagg to arrive in Texas… but that also poses a problem for the roster.
Simple luck or a massive set-up? We’ll never know, but the fact is that the timing couldn’t be more suspect. Just three months after sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers, the Mavericks find themselves with the first pick in the draft. A scenario reminiscent of the Pelicans’ 2018 situation, after trading Anthony Davis to Los Angeles, and acquiring Zion Williamson a year later.
Regardless, the fact remains that the Duke prodigy is virtually guaranteed to represent the Dallas franchise in 2025-26. Barring a major turnaround from management, led by GM Nico Harrison, the Texans shouldn’t pass up the young power forward who dominates the reste of his draft class. He should therefore become the new teammate of Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, or Klay Thompson.
Big headaches ahead for the Mavericks
It couldn’t have gone better for the franchise, which has acquired a new gem around which to build its future after Doncic’s heartbreaking departure. However, the Mavs now have their work cut out for them. In addition to rethinking the roster, which no longer revolves around the Slovenian, they also need to make choices regarding the frontcourt.
CBS journalist Sam Quinn pointed out the overcrowding of the Dallas frontcourt, which has too many potentiel starters in its rotation:
The Mavs aren’t keeping Davis, Flagg, Lively and Gafford. This is incredible for the Lakers. I have to imagine one of the centers is moving.
We’re talking about four potential starters, including one who’s looking for a big salary increase in Daniel Gafford. There’s a good chance he’ll be the one sacrificed first, since Derek Lively II is still on his rookie contract and therefore costs much less. On top of that, the sophomore could still be off the bench for a while.
If so, however, there’s another inherent problem with Flagg’s arrival that will have to be addressed: Anthony Davis will practically be forced to play center, since the future first pick is expected to play power forward. Remember that The Brow doesn’t like that and even called for the arrival of a center from the Lakers, just a few weeks before his surprise move to Texas… Not sure he wants to go back to square one.
