Nico Harrison doubles down on sneaky draft strategy fueling Mavericks buzz

Heading into the 2025 NBA Draft next month, the Dallas Mavericks have one first-round pick. That being the No. 1 pick in the draft, as they won the NBA Draft Lottery and the right to select Cooper Flagg at the beginning of last week.

With the Mavericks holding the first pick, it's clear that they plan to draft Flagg, but another move could be on the horizon as well. Nico Harrison has proved that he is willing to make draft night trades to acquire extra picks if that means he can acquire a player he wants, and the Mavs are doing their homework this year when it comes to weighing all of their options.

Harrison and multiple Mavericks staffers attended Klutch Pro Day earlier this week in Los Angeles to watch players like Adou Thiero, Walter Clayton Jr., and Khaman Maluach, and they doubled down on their extensive draft approach by attending CAA's Pro Day.

Mavericks' draft night could be much bigger than just one pick

Harrison and Jared Dudley went to CAA's Pro Day in Los Angeles to get some pre-draft scouting in, and there were plenty of high-level guys working out. Some of the players include Danny Wolf, Tyrese Proctor, Johni Broome, Drake Powell, Jase Richardson, and Liam McNeeley. Just because Dallas doesn't have an additional pick outside of the first pick doesn't mean that Harrison and company aren't doing their due diligence, and multiple of the prospects they were scouting would be solid fits on the Mavericks.

They especially need a guard, as it has been reported that signing or trading for a guard is one of their main priorities this summer, and there are plenty of guards in this year's draft class that would give them some much-needed depth.

Someone like Proctor would be an outstanding pick for the Mavs if they were to trade into the end of the first round or the beginning of the second round, as his 3-point shooting, size, defense, and playmaking would all help Dallas significantly. They need a combo guard badly to help out while Kyrie Irving is out, and Proctor would fill that role and more.

Picking Proctor would likely be a move that Flagg and Dereck Lively II would be excited about, as they were both teammates with him at Duke, and he could end up being on their radar depending on what Harrison and the rest of the front office think about him.

With the unexpected addition of Flagg, the Mavericks have to slightly shift their approach when it comes to building the roster, and getting younger through the draft should be a priority this year and for years to come. Building around Flagg should be a top priority moving forward, and if Harrison and the Mavericks find someone they like, don't be surprised if they make a move to get an extra draft pick.

Expect Dallas to weigh all options this summer when it comes to improving their roster, and drafting a young guard may be the perfect move to start the Flagg era on the right foot. The new era in Dallas begins this year, and if Harrison continues his past tendency of trading for an additional pick to pursue a player he likes (Olivier-Maxence Prosper in 2023 and Jaden Hardy in 2022), the Mavericks could be welcoming multiple rookies to the squad.