Mavericks once again linked to rising international forward and for good reason

After a 26-56 season in which Kyrie Irving missed the entire year recovering from a torn ACL and Cooper Flagg was left to carry the load alone, the Dallas Mavericks arrive at the 2026 NBA Draft holding the No. 9 pick. 

Now, new team president Masai Ujiri has a clear mandate: build the right core around Flagg. To do that, the name making the rounds in Dallas is Karim Lopez, and this is not the first time.

Analysts are already linking Dallas to Lopez, the class's top international prospect. Ujiri has a long history of drafting players with international roots, including Jakob Poeltl, Pascal Siakam, and OG Anunoby during his time with the Toronto Raptors.

Rumors suggest the new team president views Lopez as a classic Dallas target, and those whispers are only getting louder ahead of the draft combine.

In Yahoo Sports' latest mock draft, Kevin O'Connor projected Lopez to the Mavs at No. 9. O'Connor, who recently interviewed Lopez on his podcast. He highlighted the 19-year-old’s impressive production with the New Zealand Breakers, where he averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 50.2% from the field.

O'Connor's scouting report emphasizes both the forward's upside and his current limitations. He noted that Lopez "checks a lot of boxes with his excellent physical tools, hard-nosed approach, and well-rounded ability to defend multiple positions," but cautions that "he's thus far more of a jack-of-all-trades since his jumper runs hot and cold."

At the combine, he measured 6'8.25" barefoot with a 6'11.5" wingspan and a 38-inch vertical. He has the size and agility to defend multiple positions, but his 32.6% three-point shooting could clog the floor next to Flagg, who shot 29.5% from deep as a rookie. 

Still, Lopez fits Ujiri’s history of drafting and developing raw, athletic forwards. We will know Dallas' plan well before draft night.

More NBA news:

• The one reason Bucks are turning down every Giannis Antetokounmpo offer
• De’Aaron Fox’s Spurs future revealed after NBA Finals disaster and it’s hardly a surprise
• Giannis Antetokounmpo trade idea involves 8 players, 5 picks and a $285 million star
• Shaquille O'Neal identifies what Victor Wembanyama needs to do after Spurs' Finals collapse
• Two A-list centers Lakers can sign in free agency to help Luka Doncic