Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo officially requested a trade earlier this week, but fans shouldn't expect the Dallas Mavericks to be in the mix for him by any means. Dallas has a bright future ahead of them with Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving, and Max Christie steering the ship, but things could've been much different on the Mavs-Antetokounmpo trade front had they not drafted Flagg.
Before last season's NBA Draft Lottery, in which the Mavericks struck gold and landed the No. 1 overall pick, they'd be at the front of the pack when it comes to interest in Antetokounmpo. Dallas has been a fan of him for years now, dating back to the 2013 NBA Draft when he entered the NBA. The Mavericks obviously regret passing on him that night, and him officially looking to get out of Milwaukee would've allowed the Mavs to make up for their unforgettable mistake.
On top of the Mavs' undeniable past interest in Antetokounmpo, with the position they were in before drafting Flagg, trading for him would've made too much sense to ignore.
They had just traded their franchise cornerstone in Luka Doncic, and with the Anthony Davis experiment not going according to plan, they would've been all over a trade for Antetokounmpo. Players like him don't hit the open market often, and he and Irving would've had the chance to form one of the league's most terrifying duos.
Mavericks make zero sense as a Giannis Antetokounmpo destination
The Mavericks could've even tried to find a way to keep Davis while also bringing in Antetokounmpo. They reportedly wanted to form a big three with Kevin Durant, Irving, and Davis following the Luka Doncic trade last season. They could've eyed a move to bring in Antetokounmpo while also keeping their core of Irving and Davis intact.
There would also likely be interest from Antetokounmpo's camp to come to Dallas as well, as he is a well-known fan of Jason Kidd and his coaching style. Kidd coached Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee for three and a half seasons before being fired in 2018, and this was a decision that Antetokounmpo was not fond of.
The Mavericks would've had all of the reasons to make a trade for Antetokounmpo work, but times are different now. Dallas is in no position to jeopardize their future for a 31-year-old player. They just drafted the best teenager in the world last year, and there's no reason to push to win a title right now by trading for Antetokounmpo.
Nico Harrison's win-now vision was trashed the second that he was fired earlier this season, and Dallas should be exploring ways to improve their odds of winning a championship down the line rather than right now. They don't have many great future draft assets to begin with, and the Bucks would've likely looked to strip them of many of their young assets like Dereck Lively II and Max Christie as well.
Dallas should be completely crossed off the list of potential Giannis Antetokounmpo suitors with how their team is currently built. While watching Flagg and Antetokounmpo play together would be a sight to see, Flagg's presence on the roster is the exact reason that the Mavs shouldn't touch the Greek Freak.