The Dallas Mavericks won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, earning the No. 1 overall pick despite only having a 1.8% chance entering the evening. With a fractured fan base and a front office under heavy fire, Duke star forward Cooper Flagg is considered the safest and most logical choice at No. 1.
However, after the Mavericks traded All-Star guard Luka Dončić at the trade deadline, being risk-averse isn’t exactly one of Dallas’ calling cards. The team is predicted to be aggressive and put together a lucrative package by leveraging the No. 1 pick for an already established superstar.
Giannis Antetokounmpo or Cooper Flagg? Mavericks’ Championship Window Demands Urgency
After reaching the NBA Finals in 2024, the Mavericks crashed back to earth this season, missing the playoffs after a Play-In Tournament loss. The campaign unraveled following the Dončić trade, a torn ACL for Kyrie Irving, and extended absences from Anthony Davis, acquired in the blockbuster deal.
Shortly after winning the Draft Lottery, ESPN’s Booger McFarland hit social media predicting that Mavericks general manager and president of basketball operations Nico Harrison would trade the pick for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Nico about to trade the pick for Giannis
— Booger (@ESPNBooger)
Serious questions surround Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee following a first-round playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers. With Damian Lillard expected to miss most of next season due to a torn Achilles, trade speculation is already heating up.
MORE: 2025 Post-Lottery NBA Mock Draft
“After winning the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, the Mavericks will have the opportunity to select Duke Blue Devils phenom Cooper Flagg. Would they be willing to enter the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes?” PFSN’s Bjorn Bergsstrom recently wrote. “The eventual addition of the 18-year-old Flagg doesn’t necessarily fit the timeline that general manager Nico Harrison has set, as he’s been on record saying their contending window is within the next 3–4 years.
“At that rate, Flagg won’t yet be in his prime beside accomplished but aging stars in Kyrie Irving (33) and Anthony Davis (32). Irving is also recovering from a torn ACL, which tightens the timeline further. Considered a generational talent, Flagg could be the immediate headliner in restarting the Bucks’ franchise timeline while Antetokounmpo could fit perfectly into the Mavericks’ win-now outlook.”
Antetokounmpo seems to be a perfect fit for the Mavericks’ equation. The two-time MVP averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists this season, leading the Bucks to 48 wins. But Milwaukee could struggle to remain competitive without Lillard and waste more of Antetokounmpo’s prime years. A deal for Flagg could give the Bucks a clean reset and a future cornerstone to build around.
For Dallas, landing Antetokounmpo could salvage a mentally exhausted fan base and signal a renewed commitment to contending now. While drafting Flagg would be a long-term consolation prize after dealing away Dončić, Harrison may be eager to save face immediately.
NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan recently shared the Dallas’ financial outlook and doesn’t believe the team has the most attractive trade package to land Antetokounmpo.
Dallas Mavericks cap sheet after jumping from #11 to #1. Loaded payroll, but they'll figure it out.
I expect them to be active this summer. I don't know if they have the most attractive trade package for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it got more appealing.https://t.co/P3jmkwiO6K pic.twitter.com/IKk1vrlgBR
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan)
“Harrison took massive amounts of criticism for his decision to trade Luka Dončić; would he dare pull off another blockbuster deal and acquire Antetokounmpo? It’s certainly something to, at the very least, have a conversation about,” Bergsstrom added. “If the Mavericks make another headline-grabbing deal, they’ll either repair the damage or deepen the divide. In either case, the pressure is once again squarely on Nico Harrison.”
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There are reports that the Mavericks have been interested in Antetokounmpo for years.
“The Mavericks have wanted Giannis for years.”
– @WindhorstESPN 😳 pic.twitter.com/HtNuH78tru
— 🦉 Lakers Vino (@VinoUncorked)
While another commenter says Harrison and the Mavericks have plenty of options to consider.
Do the Mavericks pick Cooper Flagg? Do they consider trading the pick for a “win-now superstar” (Giannis)?
Decisions, decisions, decisions. pic.twitter.com/IXd2wpNxeB
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops)
The 2025 NBA Draft will take place June 25-26.
