Duke Blue Devils basketball star Cooper Flagg has as close to a 100% chance of landing with the Dallas Mavericks by the time Adam Silver is announcing the first pick of the 2025 NBA draft in late June.
Mavs GM Nico Harrison is why drafting Flagg isn’t an assumed 100% certainty. After trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for an aging and injury-prone Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and one future draft pick ahead of the trade deadline, Harrison isn’t trusted to do the sensible and safe thing for the franchise's long-term health.
SI’s Killian Wright believes it’s “impossible” to rule out Harrison trading the pick to the Washington Wizards. As Wright writes, the Wizards have the building blocks but no centerpiece in what has felt like a permanent rebuild since Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal shared a backcourt.
“After the Mavericks, the realistic chances of any other team landing Flagg fall off a cliff. However, after Harrison and the Mavericks pulled off one of the most unexpected blockbuster trades in history in February, it's impossible to rule out a draft-day trade. Should another team make the move to acquire Flagg, the Washington Wizards could find their new franchise cornerstone,” Wright wrote.
“The Wizards have stockpiled talent over recent draft – Bub Carrington, Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly – who've become quality rotational players. Each played strong complimentary roles this season and showed promise for future improvements, but none quite look like a 1A option contending teams need.
“In comes Flagg.
“Flagg's aforementioned elite defense could make for a monstrous trio with Coulibaly and Sarr, giving the Wizards a foundation and identity to build off of. His experience being the first option at Duke could allow him to immediately take over as the offensive focal point in Washington.”
Washington is short on assets outside of the aforementioned players. Realistically, any Flagg trade would bankrupt the Wizards and stick the 18-year-old phenom on an island in a market that’s increasingly disinterested in their franchise.
Flagg isn’t being traded. Full stop.
If somehow Harrison does the unthinkable and moves the pick, a big market franchise in a desirable city is the likeliest team to land Flagg.
Washington D.C., and playing for the Wizards, is the opposite of desirable for top talent as things stand.