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Assessing the Dallas Mavericks' Needs at the 2026 NBA Draft

Nearly two years removed from the NBA Finals, the Mavericks are building their young core with the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. What do they need?
Jed Katz|
Feb 5, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard (9) and forward Cooper Flagg (32) celebrate during the game between the Mavericks and the Spurs at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Feb 5, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard (9) and forward Cooper Flagg (32) celebrate during the game between the Mavericks and the Spurs at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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Dallas Mavericks

Over a year after the Luka Dončić trade and nearly two years removed from the Dallas Mavericks' 2024 NBA Finals run, it's hard to believe that they'll be drafting in the lottery for the second time in a row with a 26-56 record.

The Mavericks jumped 10 spots to land Cooper Flagg as the No. 1 overall pick in 2025, but this year, they didn't get that same luck, securing the No. 9 pick in the lottery. They fell one spot from their No. 8 projection.

So the focus is now on building the young core, getting Flagg a co-star with the 2026 NBA Draft. Despite falling in the lottery, Dallas can land such a talent with this year's class running deep. But the team also has some clear needs:

Franchise Guard

Ryan Nembhard was a nice surprise this season, averaging 6.6 points and 5.3 assists per game, but let's be real: the Mavericks still need a franchise guard. Kyrie Irving is 34 years old, and there's no telling what they'll do with him now that Masai Ujiri is at the helm. The projected top 10 is also loaded with guards more than forwards and centers.

Dallas ranked 22nd in assist percentage and 18th in turnovers per game this year. This franchise needs a legitimate facilitator and second scorer to back up Flagg. Luckily, it can go a few ways with such flexibilty.

The dream scenario is for one of Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings or Mikel Brown Jr. to drop, but that isn't likely right now. Realistically, the Mavericks could target Brayden Burries or Labaron Philon Jr. at No. 9. Burries, who averaged 16.1 points and 1.5 steals per game at Arizona, isn't an elite facilitating prospect, but can still run the offense and shoot the ball well at the one.

Three-Point Shooting

The Mavericks desperately need shooting to balance the offense. Flagg is a generational youngster, but he is better suited for scoring in the paint and midrange, as they shot 34.4% from beyond the arc (26th in the NBA).

If Dallas wants to improve their shooting, those same guard prospects are ideal. A wild card to watch is Bennett Stirtz, who averaged 19.8 points on 48-36-84 shooting splits for Iowa this season. He has always been an elite three-point scorer with experience running the point.

If the Mavericks want to go bigger and focus on Nembhard leading the guard room, Hannes Steinbach could be a solid option to emphasize a larger frontcourt. The 6-foot-11 big man averaged 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds on 58-34-76 shooting splits for Washington this season. He could balance Flagg's slashing and facilitation with spot-up shooting and elite rebounding.

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Jed Katz
JED KATZ

Jed is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in journalism. He also contributes at several other basketball outlets, including has his own basketball blog and podcast — The Sixth Man Report.

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