Mavericks must pull off sneaky draft night shocker that Cooper Flagg would love

The talk of the town in DFW all week long has been about how the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Draft Lottery and the chance to select Cooper Flagg in this summer's NBA Draft.

While there was initially some skepticism about whether the Mavericks would trade the pick rather than take Flagg, reports since then have shut that option down. Dallas plans on taking Flagg with the first pick, and they will not shop their selection to try to obtain a solidified superstar.

Flagg is set to be the perfect fit in Dallas, as his defense and personality will fit right into Nico Harrison's vision, but the Mavericks can't sit still after drafting him and expect to be elite contenders right away. They have to make some moves, specifically signing or trading for a guard (which has already been rumored to be a priority), as Kyrie Irving is set to miss multiple months to start next season since he tore his ACL back in March, and they have to find someone who can run the show until he returns.

With the Mavericks only having one draft pick this summer, that being the No. 1 overall pick, in which they plan to select Flagg, their draft night moves are going to be limited for the time being. That doesn't mean that they won't be searching for moves after the draft, though, as one player from Duke who played alongside Flagg could end up falling right into Dallas's lap.

Proctor falling out of second round would be perfect for Mavericks

With Tyrese Proctor already declaring for the NBA Draft, he is definitely someone who could end up getting selected in the second round, or at the very least get picked up by a team after the draft, after an excellent junior season at Duke. In 38 games last season, Proctor averaged 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 0.8 steals per game while shooting career highs of 45.2 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from downtown, showing that he is ready to take that next step into the NBA.

As things currently stand, Proctor is expected to go in the late second round, but things could change ahead of June 25. If Proctor were to somehow fall out of the second round (or if the Mavericks want to trade into the end of the second round), the Mavs should pounce on him immediately and reunite him with Flagg.

They need guard help badly, and Proctor brings exactly what Dallas needs.

Standing at 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan, Proctor is the perfect combo guard to learn behind Irving, and signing him to a two-way deal after the draft was over would be one of the steals of the night. Proctor displayed how deadly he can be during Duke's NCAA Tournament run in March, as he finished with 25 points while shooting 9-10 from the field and 7-8 from downtown.

His improvements as a defender and shooter were notable last season, and he's the perfect player for the Mavericks to take a chance on after the draft (if he happens to go undrafted). They need a combo guard who can knock down threes off the catch while also being an excellent playmaker.

The Mavericks need shooting and playmaking badly, especially while Irving is out, and Proctor would be able to bring all of that and more. Outside of his passing and shooting, Proctor made a name for himself with his defense. He can guard multiple positions effectively while bringing excellent effort and IQ at all times, and those are two keys to succeeding in Jason Kidd's defensive scheme, which is heavy on rotations.

A combo guard with size, experience, shooting, and defense sounds like the exact prototype of what the Mavs need right now, and while they would still need to go sign or trade for another guard to truly hold down the fort, Proctor would be a great backup option.

Finding diamonds in the rough after the draft is over or in the second round is a key to success in the NBA, as it allows you to sign the player to a cost-effective contract, and if you can develop them right, you'll strike gold and reap the benefits. Proctor would be in a great situation to learn from guys like Irving, Anthony Davis, and Klay Thompson on how to be a pro, and Dallas would be a comfortable place for him to start his career.

For starters, since Proctor and Flagg share a tight bond from spending a year together as teammates, they'd be there for one another to help each other through their rookie year. We saw a similar dynamic when Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper became close friends as rookies, and Flagg having Proctor by his side during his rookie year would help make his transition to Dallas smoother.

On top of Proctor's relationship with Flagg, he'd also be joining a team with a different former teammate of his already on it. Proctor and Dereck Lively II were freshmen together at Duke, and they'd get to team up again in Dallas if the Mavericks can somehow get their hands on him.

Proctor's dream on-court fit in Dallas combined with his connections with their players should intrigue the Mavericks enough to at least consider trading into the second round for him, and if he doesn't get selected in the second round, they should be the first ones calling his agent to do whatever it takes to ensure he gets on their roster.

Landing Proctor as an undrafted free agent would easily be one of the best moves of the night if Dallas coul, and his game will undoubtedly translate to the NBA.