The San Antonio Spurs have the No. 2 selection in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft. When the draft lottery took place, the ping-pong balls ruled in favor of the Dallas Mavericks as the beneficiary of earning the top choice, which this year means Duke star Cooper Flagg.
At this stage, the Mavericks seem inclined to select Flagg, and rightfully so. Still, trades could happen anytime.
Zach Harper of The Athletic compiled a new mock. In this one, he surprisingly had the Mavericks trading with the Spurs and landing a haul in exchange for a package led by Flagg, pairing the 6-9 forward with Victor Wembanyama.
Here’s the proposed trade from Harper:
- Mavericks get: Dylan Harper, 2025 No. 14 pick, 2026 first-round pick (SAS), 2028 protected first-round pick, Keldon Johnson
- Spurs get: Cooper Flagg, PJ Washington, Caleb Martin
In a vacuum, that’s a solid return for the Mavs. They would get Johnson, Harper, another first-rounder in 2025 and a first-rounder in 2026, as well as one in 2028.
“The Spurs pair Flagg and Wemby together while still having Castle and Fox as a playmaking, dynamic backcourt,” Harper wrote. “That’s an incredible barbershop quartet on both ends of the floor. It needs a little more shooting, but all four guys can eventually become good enough shooters, and they have guys on the roster to fill it out.
“Defensively, Flagg and Wemby together could be truly devastating. I’d say Flagg projects as a Shawn Marion-esque difference-maker on that end. He’s active, athletic and has great instincts on the ball. With a rim protector like Wemby behind him, it would allow him to be even more aggressive.”
From the Mavs’ perspective, Nico Harrison recoups some assets after trading away Luka Doncic, and Harper can learn from Kyrie Irving while also providing insurance for the aging point guard.
The NBA Draft will take place at the end of this month. We’ll soon find out if any team can get the Mavericks to part with Flagg.
