The Dallas Mavericks entered the 2025-26 season with high expectations. But after 40, the Mavericks (15-25) are closer to last place in the Western Conference than they are to the #6 seed and the final guaranteed postseason spot.
Dallas is starting to embrace reality as a team retooling around #1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. With star point guard Kyrie Irving's status uncertain as he continues to recover from an ACL tear, Flagg is getting the opportunity to demonstrate his bona fides as the Mavs' next franchise player.
Flagg scored a team-high 27 points on Monday night as the Mavericks defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 113-105. The 19-year-old is averaging 19.1 points per game, and his ceiling will be as high as he wants it to be. The challenge now for Dallas is putting more dyanmic, youthful pieces around him.
MORE: Mavericks' Cooper Flagg makes basketball history faster than even LeBron James
A new ESPN mock draft published Tuesday Jr. Has the Mavericks selecting Arkansas guard Darius Acuff with the ninth overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Acuff is averaging 19.9 points and 5.9 assists for the Razorbacks, and Jeremy Woo writes that the freshman has shown "critical growth" that will help him appeal to guard-needy teams outside the top three.
"(Acuff's) strength, skill level and ability to change speeds getting into the paint have made him a challenging cover, and he has shown critical growth as a decision-maker and shooter (42.5% from 3) and a willingness to make the right play," Woo wrote.
It is essential that the Mavericks nail their first-round pick in the 2026 draft, as Dallas does not control another first-rounder until 2031.
Unless Dallas can receive a boatload of draft assets in an Anthony Davis trade before the Feb. 5 deadline, the Mavs' future draft outlook is a bit bleak. Taking Acuff to shore up the backcourt might be their most logical move.
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