Mavericks miss golden opportunity to sign Luka Doncic's playoff star teammate

The Dallas Mavericks just missed the chance to pair Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving with a close friend of Luka Doncic and one of the Los Angeles Lakers' best players from the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Rui Hachimura signed a two-year, $28 million deal with a team option after the first year with the LA Clippers on Monday morning, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported that Dallas had interest in signing him, making this blow sting even more.

With the Mavericks still having access to the full Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, they had the financial flexibility to make a competitive offer. Dallas had the spending power to pull off one of the best bargain signings remaining in free agency, but they let this golden opportunity slip away.

The MLE is worth about $15 million annually, meaning Hachimura's salary that he signed with LA would've fit within the Mavericks' budget if they tried to sign him. Combine this with the fact that Texas doesn't have state income tax, and the 6-foot-8 forward would've had a compelling case to leave California and come to Dallas. Unfortunately for the Mavs, one of the best remaining free agents is now off the market. They must look elsewhere if they still plan on utilizing the MLE.

Dallas still needs a guard, but options are limited

Mavericks fans have been clamoring for the team to sign a guard in free agency for some time now, but with how the board has shaken out, all the top-tier free agent guards have already signed elsewhere. Collin Sexton signed with the Lakers last week, and Anfernee Simons joined the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving Dallas with slim pickings for a backup initiator to help out Irving as he returns from an ACL tear.

The Mavericks' best option to build on a successful offseason is to secure the best player available in free agency who fits alongside their young core of Morez Johnson Jr., Flagg, Sergio De Larrea, Dereck Lively II, and Ryan Nembhard. They still need to find another guard to join Irving, Nembhard, and De Larrea in the backcourt, but they could do this on the trade market if none of the remaining free agents catch their eye. Dallas also has Marcus Sasser set to join the team via trade.

The Mavs have already proven that they're not too worried about how players they want fit with their current team. They just traded for Santi Aldama, a 7-foot shooter, despite already having Daniel Gafford, Lively II, and P.J. Washington on the roster.

Mike Schmitz and Masai Ujiri want players who fit how they'd like to play, and with Ujiri's history of targeting players with good positional size and length, Hachimura fits that bill. Standing at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, he has the build of a wing who can hold his own on defense while providing versatility on offense.

There would've definitely been some overlap with some of Dallas' current players, but it was easy to envision the type of role he could've played for the Mavs.

Hachimura's skill set fits what the Mavericks need

While Hachimura is 28 years old, his on-court fit in Dallas would be excellent. He brings elite shooting, physicality, energy, and a knack for delivering in big moments. All of these things would've made him a fun addition to a Mavericks team looking to get back on track, and his performance in the 2026 NBA Playoffs less than two months ago proved this.

He proved how lethal he can be from long range in the Lakers' series against the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder, as he shot an unreal 56.9 percent from three in 10 playoff games. Rui was a star for the Lakers during their playoff run, and he scored 20+ points in four different games. He stepped up when his team needed him most while Doncic was sidelined due to a hamstring injury, and the Mavericks certainly could've used him next season.

They need more shooting around Flagg, and given that Hachimura was only paid $28 million across two seasons, this would've been a low-risk move Dallas should've considered. Hachimura's addition to the frontcourt would've forced some other moves, such as trading P.J. Washington, but the Mavericks can't be too worried about fit right now.

Hachimura would've been a strong fit with Flagg

Their main concern needs to be finding talented players who maximize Flagg's skill set, and Hachimura would've helped do this. His floor spacing would've opened up the floor for more drives for Flagg, and if he fit well, Dallas could've explored signing him to a longer-term deal once his contract was up. If not, they could've opted out of his contract after one season, given that his contract has a team option after one season.

Considering how well Hachimura played during the playoffs, it's shocking that he signed such a team-friendly deal. A team option after the first year made this a home run for LA, and Dallas should've pounced while they could.

Hachimura's $14 million annually with the Clippers was an absolute steal, and the Mavs missed the chance to land him. The clock is ticking for Dallas to find a player to use the MLE on, and Hachimura would've been a sneaky addition that gives the Mavs more positional size and shooting on the wing.

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