Mavericks draft rumor hints at star guard forcing his way to Dallas

According to CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein, former Arizona Wildcats star guard Brayden Burries could be forcing his way to the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft later this month. Every part of the pre-draft process is chess from these players and their camps to find the best possible situation, and Burries could already be looking to find a way to become a Maverick on June 23.

According to Finkelstein, Burries has drawn interest from various teams inside the lottery. This is expected for one of the country’s best freshman guards, of course.

Brayden Burries could be forcing his way to Dallas

The catch? He’s turning down workouts with certain teams, and there are rumbles that this could be because he wants to be a Maverick.

“The interesting thing is that so far he hasn’t taken a lot of workouts,” Finkelstein said. “There are teams higher in the lottery that would be interested in working Burries out, and yet there’s growing speculation that maybe he might prefer Dallas....I think there is a lot of momentum with Brayden Burries and the Dallas Mavericks."

This is an intriguing development, as Burries could have the chance to go much higher than where the Mavericks are picking at nine. He's one of the most potential-packed prospects with some of the strongest two-way abilities of any other guard who's projected to go in his range. Burries was the No. 2 combo guard in the class of 2025 according to 247 Sports' Composite Rankings, only trailing Darryn Peterson.

He has been predicted to go as high as the No. 5 overall pick in recent weeks, showing his star potential on both ends. Previously being mocked to go higher than players like Darius Acuff Jr. and Keaton Wagler reflects the buzz that he created in his one season at Arizona, and the Mavericks picking him at nine would be an excellent move.

Teams in that one through eight range could be interested in working out the 6-foot-4 guard, but from what Finkelstein reported, he’s being very selective about who he works out for.

This is definitely a strategic tactic from Burries, and we should have a better feeling about some of the teams he and his camp prefer as the draft approaches. The Mavericks were one of the teams that he met with at the NBA Combine last month, which is yet another development worth noting from the pre-draft process.

The Klutch Sports connection with Dallas is real

Another interesting layer in this saga is that Burries is represented by Klutch Sports. Finkelstein mentioned this, saying that Rich Paul and Masai Ujiri already have a "very clear working relationship."

Just last season, Paul wanted his client, Khaman Maluach, to get drafted by the Phoenix Suns, who held the No. 10 overall pick. A clip of Paul's draft-night negotiations went viral, and in the end, he was able to get his client to the Suns despite other teams in the lottery eyeing the 7-foot-1 big man.

The Mavericks' connection to this situation from last year is that their new president, Masai Ujiri, was on the clock with the ninth pick for the Toronto Raptors. He selected Collin Murray-Boyles out of South Carolina, passing on Maluach.

The Raptors were heavily linked to Maluach in the pre-draft process, but they decided to go a different direction. Was this because they viewed Murray-Boyles as the better prospect? Or did Ujiri do Paul a favor?

Maybe it's a combination of both factors, but Finkelstein made it clear that Klutch Sports and Ujiri are well-connected.

Burries' potential fit on the Mavericks

This connection could lead him to Dallas on draft night, and Mavericks fans should be excited about the possibility that the team drafts him. He said he believes he'd be a great fit in Dallas at the combine due to his ability to play on and off the ball while impacting winning.

The former Wildcat averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from long range.

Burries would provide the Mavericks with shooting, perimeter defense, and versatility, and his fit makes perfect sense for now and the future. He could start his NBA journey as the Mavericks' starting shooting guard alongside Kyrie Irving, and if he showcases lead guard potential, he could later become the full-time point guard.

His case to become a Maverick is hard to ignore, especially given their need for perimeter defense and 3-point shooting. Burries brings both of these things at an elite level, and his potential fit could cause this smoke to turn into a forest fire as the 2026 NBA Draft rapidly approaches.

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