Mavericks' rumored draft plan ignores what most fans are begging for

Despite most Dallas Mavericks fans wanting Masai Ujiri to draft a point guard to pair with Cooper Flagg with the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Dallas isn't set on drafting a guard by any means. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, former Tennessee forward Nate Ament "ranks as a strong contender to emerge as Dallas' ultimate pick at No. 9" (subscription required).

Nate Ament is a real option for Dallas

Fischer also mentioned that Ament has drawn interest from the Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers, two teams also picking in the top 10, and teams around the league believe his floor is the Milwaukee Bucks, who own the No. 10 pick. This means that if Ament falls past LA at five and Brooklyn at six, there's a good chance that Dallas takes a hard look at him with their lottery pick.

Standing at 6-foot-9.5 barefoot with a 6-foot-11.5 wingspan, Ament has elite size and length for the forward position. He was the fourth-ranked prospect in the high school class of 2025 according to 247 Sports behind only Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Cameron Boozer, but he doesn't have as high a floor as any of those players. This is where Ament's risk comes in.

Ament would be a risky pick

There are real concerns that he won't develop into a high-level NBA player, as his game is still raw. He shot just 39.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from downtown in his freshman year as a Volunteer despite being marketed as a knockdown shooter, and his finishing around the rim left much to be desired, despite being so tall and lengthy.

His lack of burst, athleticism, and strength makes him someone some Mavericks fans have been against the team drafting for the entire pre-draft process, and while the risks are definitely there, so is the upside.

Picking Ament has home-run potential if everything goes right

If he gets stronger, polishes his jump shot, and improves his finishing around the bucket, Ament would form a nasty wing duo with Cooper Flagg. It would just take some time.

Drafting Ament with the No. 9 pick would be a major swing, and if Dallas hits on it, it could turn into a home run. He has the positional size that Ujiri typically cherishes, and he would have plenty of time to develop since the Mavericks aren't rushing this rebuild by any means.

If Dallas misses on this pick, the Mavs could be dealing with a player with some real bust potential.

This is the last thing that Ujiri needs as he looks to find complementary players to play with Flagg, and it seems like the safest option would be to draft the best remaining guard on the board, such as Kingston Flemings or Brayden Burries. These are prospects who Mavs fans have clamored for all summer, but if this Ament rumor comes true, Dallas will be taking the exact opposite direction that fans were hoping for.

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