The NBA draft is tonight! The Dallas Mavericks are set to (presumably) draft Cooper Flagg with the number one pick. With that in mind, we asked our staff to throw out some bold predictions for the evening. You can read what they came up with below, and drop your own bold predictions in the comment section.
Bryan: If Derik Queen is drafted by anyone other than the Washington Wizards, he won’t make an all rookie team despite his outsized offensive talent. The Wiz Kids are so uniquely outfitted with shooters and athletic finishers who will immediately accentuate what he does well as a playmaker and create space for him as a punishing mid-post scorer. They’ll also hide his flaws as a rim protector behind the wingspans of French defensive aces Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly. Queen will surprise you with his ability to slide his feet and absorb body contact on drives when defending in space, but he needs help at the rim on defense and space below the free throw line on offense. His hometown team could provide both.
Ben: My bold prediction is the Mavericks do the logical, rational thing—draft Cooper Flagg. Before this year I would say this is a done deal, but after what Nico Harrison did in February, I’ll forever be worried he’ll pull some galaxy-brain move that makes no sense. Flagg is the obvious number one choice, but honestly, until I see him in a Mavs uniform, I’ll be worried that he’ll be traded for a worse first-round pick and an aging big man whose reputation for defense is greater than his actual contribution, along with the rights to an Ascension coffee franchise.
Michael: My bold prediction #1: Nico Harrison is going to make a move(s) on draft night that the majority of people will view as a “win” for the Mavs (this being aside from drafting Cooper Flagg, of course). Harrison has been waiting for a chance to change the narrative surrounding himself and successfully starts the process on draft night. This, along with Flagg, makes the Mavs the clear cut winners of the night. Insanely delusional? Maybe, but I’m staying optimistic.
My bold prediction #2: Daniel Gafford is still a member of the team after draft night. Although his contract extension allows for him to be traded immediately, I predict he remains in Dallas. We’ve heard no rumors of an imminent trade, and these things rarely stay a secret... unless Harrison and Rob Pelinka are at it again, in which case I’ll make a sub-prediction that the Mavs are not going to make another deal with LA, especially to give them their biggest need. Right...?
Matt Martinez: I’ll go ahead and be the contrarian to Michael’s second prediction and say that Daniel Gafford will be part of a draft-night trade. I think the contract being inked sets up perfectly for Michael’s first bold prediction. To make such a move, Nico Harrison will need ammo in the form of an asset worthy of getting back in there into the first 20 or so picks of the first round. Will one of Jase Richardson or Walter Clayton Jr. fall far enough for the Mavs to scoop them in the back part of the first round? The Ringer has Richardson all the way down at 25, and The Ringer and several others have Clayton Jr. in the 20 range. So here’s the actual prediction. Daniel Gafford will be part of a draft-night trade that nets the Mavericks either Richardson or Clayton Jr. They come away from night one owing the rights to both Cooper Flagg and one of those two, giving Harrison the “we’re so back” moment he desperately craves, even though the Mavs as a team heading into 2025-26 will not, in fact, be “so back.” Backup five is immediately a hole again, but it’s a more fillable hole than the gaping maw Dallas is currently dealing with in the backcourt.
Tyler Edsel: I think it’s going to be an active night, so I could go really off the rails here. However, we’ll keep it contained and go rapid-fire with this curated selection of takes.
Walter Clayton Jr. goes in the top 20 - to the Dallas Mavericks
There are at least ten trades made on day one of the draft
Cedric Coward goes in the lottery and is a top 3 player in this class when it’s all said and done
Ace Bailey slips to Washington at sixth overall
Derik Queen goes ahead of Khaman Malauch
Ryan Nembhard will be drafted in the middle of a Michelob Ultra commercial
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