Mavericks Showing Trade-Up Interest in 2026 NBA Draft to Build Around Cooper Flagg
The Mavericks are not content sitting at No. 9. According to multiple reports, Dallas is actively exploring a trade up in the 2026 NBA Draft to land a long-term backcourt running mate for Cooper Flagg.
Dallas already has the centerpiece. Flagg won Rookie of the Year as an 18-year-old, averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists across his debut season. The Mavericks now have to build the right roster around him while he is on a rookie contract.
That means shooters. Secondary creators. Guards who can play off of him. The 2026 draft is loaded with that exact profile.
The Targets
The names being floated are familiar to anyone who has paid attention to the projected lottery. Brayden Burries. Kingston Flemings. Labaron Philon. Mikel Brown Jr. All guards. All capable of making shots, attacking closeouts, and playing in space alongside a forward-centric initiator like Flagg.
Burries in particular has reportedly become the focal point of Dallas’s trade-up interest. He has the scoring profile, the shooting range, and the size to play next to either a small lead guard or alongside Flagg as a movement shooter.
To get any of those players, Dallas would have to leap into the top six. That is going to cost picks and either current rotation pieces or veterans on tradeable contracts. The Mavericks have flexibility, but they do not have a war chest of future first-round picks.
What the Trade-Up Would Cost
Moving from No. 9 to inside the top six is rarely free. Teams sitting at those picks know exactly what they have. They want value back. Recent draft trade history says the Mavericks would have to package the No. 9 pick, at least one future first, and probably a roster player to make it work.
Dallas does not want to gut its roster. They have a window with Flagg on his rookie deal that they need to use, not waste by mortgaging the years he is on his second contract.
The smart bet is that the Mavericks aim for a smaller jump rather than a massive one. Moving from 9 to 5 or 6 costs less than moving from 9 to 2. If Burries falls a couple spots, Dallas could pull off a relatively cheap move that nets them the guard they want without sacrificing future cap flexibility.
The Bigger Picture
This entire approach signals something important about how the Mavericks see Flagg. They are not trying to build slowly. They are not trying to wait two more drafts. They want a real second piece next to him right now, and they are willing to pay the cost to get it.
That is the right approach. Flagg is the most coveted young player in the league. The window for adding low-cost talent next to him is brief. If Dallas takes the conservative route this year and waits to develop their No. 9 pick, they will be playing catch-up against teams that act more aggressively.
The 2026 NBA Draft is shaping up as one of the most talked-about in years. Executives are calling it a special class. The Mavericks are signaling they intend to be one of the teams that walks out with two long-term pieces. The next two weeks of trade chatter are going to be loud.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
