Mavericks eye trade for Celtics' 6-time All-Defensive star to mentor Duke legend Cooper Flagg

The NBA Draft is just five days away, and the Mavericks hold the first overall pick. There’s little doubt that Dallas will make the obvious choice, as there is one clear favorite: Duke superstar Cooper Flagg. Though he should only now be entering his freshman year of college, Flagg will instead be suiting up on an NBA roster this upcoming season.

The Mavericks haven’t made any effort to hide their intentions—Flagg is clearly their guy. It all started with Flagg being the only prospect the team worked out.

“The Mavericks have no plans to work out any other prospects for the No. 1 pick and have made clear publicly and privately that they plan on selecting Flagg when Adam Silver puts them on the clock to open the 2025 NBA Draft,” ESPN’s Jonathan Givony wrote.

Then came the accidental confirmation on the team’s official website.

“DLLS Mavericks reporter Kevin Gray posted on X a screenshot from Mavs' official website that displayed Flagg in Dallas' white home jersey – part of a premature ‘Welcome to Dallas’ graphic that was quickly removed from the team's site,” Yahoo Sports’ Jeremy Beren wrote.

The clearest sign came this week when Flagg had dinner with his future teammates.

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“After a Tuesday dinner with team officials in Dallas, Flagg had dinner on Wednesday with Mavericks players, according to NBA insider Marc Stein,” Bleacher Report’s Julia Stumbaugh wrote.

Looking ahead, Dallas could strengthen its roster even more by adding a veteran to help accelerate Flagg’s development.

“As I have dug into the trade market for Holiday, league sources have pointed to the Mavericks as one potential fit," The Athletic’s Jay King wrote. “Even at Holiday’s age, I’m not sure any guard has more defensive versatility. Good luck scoring against lineups with Anthony Davis, Flagg and Holiday. (Yes, I’m putting Flagg in that group already. He will walk into the NBA as a top-shelf defender)."

It’s been predicted that the Celtics will make moves this offseason, and trading Jrue Holiday would be a major one. For Flagg, Holiday’s presence would be invaluable—and for the Mavericks, it could push them even closer to contention.