Mavericks’ most brilliant offseason move was the one they didn’t make

The best move of the Dallas Mavericks' offseason was selecting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick, and their most important move was holding onto this first pick ahead of the draft rather than trading it. A move they thankfully didn't make.

Mavericks fans feared that Nico Harrison could look to trade the first pick before the draft to try to acquire an established superstar who would better fit their win-now timeline, but he decided not to trade the pick and drafted Flagg. This was easily their most crucial move ahead of the 2025-26 season, and trading the first pick would've been a disaster from the start.

The pick would've had obvious negative roster-building consequences for the future, but it would also push the Mavericks fan base to the point of no return. Mavs fans were furious that the team traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, and seeing another potential superstar in Flagg get traded for an older superstar would've likely made countless fans jump ship and stop supporting them.

Keeping the No. 1 pick saved the Mavericks

Moving the first pick before the draft could've given the Mavericks a top player who would've been ready to contribute to them making a push for the NBA Finals as soon as next year; their future would be nowhere as bright as it is right now. Flagg is going to make the Mavs contenders for years to come, not just right now, and the players that Dallas would've acquired in a potential Flagg trade would've only pushed them further all-in into Harrison's vision of winning a title over the next few years, rather than prioritizing the future as well.

Winning the NBA Draft Lottery and earning the right to select Flagg was truly the only way that the Mavs could bounce back from the Doncic trade this quickly, and while it will still take Dallas some time to get back moving in the right direction, landing Flagg was a major blessing that they couldn't afford to give up on before even seeing him play.

Flagg is one of the greatest prospects that this league has ever seen, and he is set to have a major impact in Dallas immediately. Anthony Davis is set to be the star of the show to begin the year since Kyrie Irving will be out with a torn ACL, and Flagg can be an excellent complement next to him right away.

Mavericks fans will quickly realize how special Flagg is as soon as he steps onto the floor for his NBA debut, and it won't take much time for everyone to realize why he was the No. 1 pick. His defense is going to be elite on day one, and everything is lining up for him to be the runaway Rookie of the Year if everything goes according to plan.

Dallas was the perfect spot for him to land, as he is excited for the opportunity to play for a contender rather than having to rebuild on a bottom-of-the-barrel team like most No. 1 picks have to do, and his skillset is exactly what the Mavs needed to get back on track.