Mavericks trade rumor proves their draft plan is far from set in stone

The Dallas Mavericks hold the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft after falling one spot in the Draft Lottery last month, and according to a recent report, Dallas is willing to trade up or down if the right deal presents itself. They're clearly not laser-focused on picking ninth, as they're open to the idea of climbing up in the draft as well as trading back to obtain some additional assets.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on some around-the-league trade rumors on Thursday. While teams like the Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks are comfortable picking seventh and eighth, respectively, Dallas is open to some wheeling and dealing (subscription required).

"Sources say that the Mavericks, however, have told rival teams that they are very much open for trades in either direction with their No. 9 pick," Fischer reported.

Dallas is keeping all of their options open

Unlike other teams in the top 10 of the draft, the Mavericks are open to multiple pathways with their first-round selection. It's not common for a team with such a high lottery pick to be open to trading up or down with the draft less than two weeks away, and this suggests that Dallas isn't certain on the prospect they'd like to select.

The smoke surrounding Brayden Burries and the Mavericks has been brewing for over a week now, as it's believed that the 6-foot-4 guard could be trying to force his way to Dallas on draft night. He has turned down workout invites from other teams in the top 10, and this could all be an attempt to scare other teams away from drafting him so he ends up in his preferred landing spot.

Dallas drafting Burries would be a great move, as they need more point-of-attack defense, shooting, and toughness, but this report shows that staying at nine to take Burries is far from a lock. There are likely a handful of prospects who are poised to go in the lottery that the Mavs would like to draft to join their young core alongside Cooper Flagg and Dereck Lively II, and they're going to evaluate all options rather than signal to other teams that they're not open to any business.

The Mavericks are taking the right approach here

This is the exact plan that fans should want from Mike Schmitz and Masai Ujiri, as they're doing their homework ahead of the June 23 draft. They're not content without seeing what other teams at least have to offer, and they'll look to make the move that they believe sets Dallas up to win in the long-term.

Ujiri has made it clear that the Mavericks are building for the future, and any speculative near-sighted moves should be thrown out the window when trying to predict what Dallas' new front office is going to do. Schmitz is known for his draft expertise, and fans should be excited about the potential of the Mavs making a draft-night deal.

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