Mavericks' potential draft target would fix their biggest problem

The Dallas Mavericks' biggest hole last season was their perimeter defense, but drafting guard Kingston Flemings from Houston would provide an immediate resolution to this issue, as Flemings was one of the best point-of-attack defenders in all of college basketball last season.

Dallas finished with a defensive rating of 116.5 last season, ranking 16th in the league, but their main issue was undoubtedly their point-of-attack defense. Their defense on the wing was stout oftentimes with Cooper Flagg and P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford did a decent job as a rim protector when healthy, but Dallas' guards allowed far too many blow-bys and open looks on the perimeter.

Dallas needs a POA defender like Kingston Flemings at pick nine

Dallas ranked 19th in the league in opponent 3-point percentage, with opponents shooting 35 percent against them from downtown on the season. Flemings is an elite screen navigator on defense, and competes relentlessly on-ball as well. He profiles more as a true point guard at 6-foot-2.5, and his athleticism gives him the ability to stay with the elite shooters in the league who demolished the Mavericks when they'd play drop coverage.

Max Christie did solid at the point of attack last season, but he's not nearly as fiesty or stout compared to Flemings, and he was Dallas' only above-average defender in this department last season. Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard both competed hard on that end, but their lack of size and physicality hurt them immensely on defense, being Dallas' main point guards for most of the season.

Kyrie Irving is a witty defender with great hands, but he isn't as young or athletic as Flemings is, and will already have a heavy offensive burden to carry next season, so Dallas desperately could use a two-way guard like Flemings with the ninth pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Klay Thompson did a solid job when defending slower guards, but he simply doesn't have the juice to be a menace at the point of attack like he did in his younger days anymore, especially given his injury history.

Kingston Flemings fits Dallas' culture and scheme perfectly

Flemings only has a slightly above-average wingspan compared to his height, but his athleticism, size, and tenacity compensate for this in huge fashion. Houston has a track record for having one of the best defensive schemes in all of college basketball under head coach Kelvin Sampson, and Sampson, along with Flemings' college teammates such as Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp, all vouched for his leadership and defensive ability this past season.

Flemings might be the most proven point-of-attack defender in the draft, and he fits Dallas' new culture next to Flagg perfectly. He's a team-first guy and would be a vocal leader defensively, while having enough off-ball chops to play alongside Irving in the starting lineup despite his lack of size.

His recent measurements at the NBA Draft Combine give wind to the fact that he may drop further than expected in the draft, but he'd easily be a top-five pick in a draft that isn't so top-heavy like this year's will be. If he's there at nine, it'll be tough to argue he isn't the perfect pick for the Mavericks, with the defensive presence he brings at the point/combo guard position being the main reason for this.

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