The Dallas Mavericks somehow managed to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, giving them the right to draft star Duke Blue Devils prospect Cooper Flagg. While some have wondered whether the team could trade this pick, LeBron James' agent, Rich Paul, bluntly shot that notion down.
Despite entering the 2025 NBA draft lottery with a 1.8% chance of landing the No. 1 pick, the Mavericks managed to hit the jackpot, earning the rights to select Flagg with the first pick in the draft. After all the backlash the team faced for trading away Luka Doncic, this was precisely what the team needed.
With several other teams sure to be interested in Flagg, there were whispers regarding the idea that Dallas could opt to trade this pick and earn a massive haul in return. Paul put those rumors to bed before they could even really get started, as he confidently declared that the Mavs will be holding onto this pick and selecting Flagg.
"No, there's definitely no trade, I think the Mavs take him, and I think it's the right thing for the kid," Paul said on "The Pat McAfee Show."
"There isn't going to be a trade..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 13, 2025
The Dallas Mavericks are gonna pick Cooper Flagg..
He's gonna be able to develop with some great players around him" ~ @RichPaul4 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/7VSEa1hPNU
In his lone season at Duke, Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 48.1% from the floor. Flagg won the 2024-25 AP Player of the Year Award, while also being a consensus All-American.
Assuming Dallas doesn't trade this pick and does end up selecting Flagg, he'd join a team that already features a pair of superstars in Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. While there was quite a bit of gloom surrounding the franchise after they traded away Doncic, the addition of Flagg could be just what they need to get back on track.