Mavericks draft – Fresh off hiring Dusty May and selecting Morez Johnson Jr. with the No. 9 pick, the Dallas Mavericks are already sketching a roster around Cooper Flagg. The front office is signaling it is not shopping Kyrie Irving, while eyeing trades and free agency—most not
For Dallas, the offseason already feels like a test of nerve.
The Mavericks hired Dusty May and, just hours later, they used the NBA Draft’s No. 9 pick to select Morez Johnson Jr. The timing wasn’t random. Johnson played for May at the University of Michigan. and Dallas is clearly leaning into the shared basketball language—part plan. part promise—while trying to reset a franchise that drifted far off its championship trajectory after two straight missed playoff appearances.
Two years ago, the Mavericks were on the precipice of the championship, coming off the NBA Finals. But a string of “inexplicable decisions,” paired with Kyrie Irving suffering an ACL injury, snapped the momentum. The fallout left Dallas in disarray—and now the organization is trying to turn the next chapter into something sturdier. not just louder.
Cooper Flagg is at the center of that hope. Dallas may be heading back into the postseason without a berth yet again, but Flagg lived up to the hype as the No. 1 pick, giving the Mavericks a reason to believe the rebuild can actually be a climb.
The front office’s task is now straightforward: keep building around Flagg with players who can fit now.
Just one guard may not be going anywhere.
There were rumors about Dallas shopping Kyrie Irving, who sat out this season. But the team president Masai Ujiri said the Mavericks are not looking to move the flashy guard. He also stressed Dallas is bullish on the tandem of Irving and Flagg.
That stance matters, because it narrows the Mavericks’ trade window. If Irving stays, the Mavericks need to hunt for roster upgrades elsewhere—especially options that can complement Flagg without turning the rotation into a moving target.
One trade target stands out: Trey Murphy III.
The proposed path is a one-for-one swap, with Dallas offering PJ Washington to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Murphy. The idea isn’t built on nostalgia. It’s built on what Dallas believes Murphy would bring alongside Flagg and Irving.
Washington is well-loved in Dallas for toughness, leadership, and his connection with Flagg. Still. the case for Murphy is that he would be an upgrade in multiple ways: he is described as a better scorer. a better shooter. more athletic. and arguably a more versatile defender. Murphy is also two years younger than Washington.
Stat-wise. Murphy is coming off a standout stretch. averaging career-highs of 21.5 points. 5.7 rebounds. 3.8 assists. and 1.5 steals. while shooting 37.9% from long distance. Many believe he has been wasting his prime in New Orleans. and that a fresh start in Dallas could finally give him the stage he has been building toward.
If the trade market is one lever, free agency is the other.
Dallas didn’t go after Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the reasoning here is simple: they do not have enough to offer the Milwaukee Bucks. Antetokounmpo instead landed with the Miami Heat.
That shift leaves Dallas looking at a different type of impact player—and the name that keeps surfacing is Andrew Wiggins.
The argument is that Miami’s offseason dilemma could open the door. The Mavericks could pursue Wiggins because Miami may have a decision to make between Wiggins and Norman Powell in free agency. and keeping both could be too expensive. Dallas is urged to make the move, “go Vito Corleone on Wiggins,” and offer a contract he can’t refuse.
Wiggins, after all, is framed as the kind of two-way threat Dallas needs. He had a bounce-back season in South Beach after appearing in only 17 games in 2024-2025. This time around, he averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting a career-high 41.4% from three-point range.
May’s coaching style could also matter in how Dallas uses him. The idea is that May could deploy Wiggins as a sixth man immediately, bringing offense and defense off the bench. The same player could also start, with Flagg sliding to the two spot.
One lineup sketch ties the whole offseason theme together: Daniel Gafford, Murphy, Wiggins, Flagg, and Irving.
That group is built on the belief that Dallas can finally turn its talent into something that looks like a contender—starting with a real playoff return.
The Mavericks might never fully move on from the loss and disruption that followed Luka Doncic’s exit. but returning to the playoffs could ease some of the pain. For now, the message is clear: with Flagg in place, May in charge, Johnson added at No. 9, and the front office already circling trade and free-agent targets, Dallas is treating this offseason as more than cleanup. It’s an attempt to move from disarray to direction—before the next chapter becomes the next missed chance.
Dallas Mavericks Morez Johnson Jr. Dusty May Cooper Flagg Kyrie Irving Trey Murphy III PJ Washington Andrew Wiggins Norman Powell Giannis Antetokounmpo NBA Draft free agency