Mavericks gifted rare chance to steal late-draft gem to ignite Cooper Flagg era

With all of the Dallas Mavericks' focus on the 2026 NBA Draft and a future built around Cooper Flagg, the team needs to analyze any player who could be available. While the odds are stacked against players drafted in the second round of the NBA, the Mavericks have the opportunity to steal one of the NCAA's best junior players: JT Toppin of Texas Tech.

Toppin was highly regarded as an early to mid-second-round talent, but after tearing his ACL, the junior forward may be available much later than originally slotted. The Mavericks currently own the Phoenix Suns' 2026 second-round pick this season after acquiring it in the Anthony Davis trade, and many experts believe this pick could be available in the early 50s or late 40s, which means the Mavericks may be gifted with the opportunity to draft Toppin after his recent draft stock crash.

JT Toppin is worth taking a swing on despite his recent injury

Pairing Cooper Flagg with a 6-foot-9 forward of Toppin's capabilities may be worth a swing for a Mavericks team still looking to get younger. Despite being undersized, Toppin has become a beast in the paint throughout his collegiate career, and while rim-rolling may not be one of his strong suits, Toppin's touch around the rim makes him a one-of-a-kind target.

Toppin can not only light up the box score from within 15 feet, but grabbing rebounds on either side of the floor has become one of his strong suits, according to his 10.8 rebounds per game. Many fans have related Toppin's game to Brandon Clarke of the Memphis Grizzlies, and with him already being an undersized big, it's an easy comparison to see.

The Dallas native has the skillset to be one of the NCAA's top forwards, which is why his draft stock has steadily risen since joining the Red Raiders, but after tearing his ACL earlier this week, Toppin's stock may have dropped enough for the Mavericks to have a chance at drafting in the late second round.

For the Mavericks, they have already committed to building a bigger lineup around Flagg, and while Toppin won't be expected to make an immediate impact when he does eventually get healthy, he would have the resources to become an impactful pro player almost instantly.

With the draft and lottery inching closer, fans are already anticipating which players the Mavericks may be scouting. There's no doubt that selecting a guard will be at the top of Dallas' needs during the draft, but after taking a swing on a guard, the Mavericks could be looking to take more gambles on players who might blossom alongside Flagg.

Toppin may not be the first player fans look toward, but he could be the perfect second-round talent who could make an impact at the pro level. Assuming the Mavericks could draft a player in the late second round who could make an impact in Jason Kidd's rotation would be an instant home run: Toppin could be that player.

As the Mavericks are searching for talent that will pair nicely with Flagg as well as match his timeline, talents like Toppin cannot be overlooked, even if he doesn't check every box that the Mavericks need.