The Dallas Mavericks are hours away from drafting Cooper Flagg. But before that, they have been able to make key roster moves that should give them the opportunity to contend for a top spot in the West in the 2026-27 season. Consequently, the top-two protected first-round pick they owe the Charlotte Hornets stemming from the P.J. Washington trade at the 2024 trade deadline could significantly decrease in value.
On Tuesday, Dallas was able to lock up Kyrie Irving with a discounted three-year deal that should help the team find a temporary starting point guard replacement while he recovers from a torn ACL. As a result, Irving probably won't have to rush his return, which could let him get back to full strength for the 2026-27 campaign.
Another shrewd roster move the Mavs made was signing Daniel Gafford to a similarly team-friendly extension that will take effect at the start of the 2026-27 season. That would either provide the squad with a reliable rotation guy at center or a trade piece to help improve the roster even further.
If Anthony Davis manages to stay healthy in two campaigns from now, and Flagg turns out to be as great as advertised, it wouldn't be shocking to watch the Mavs secure a high seed in 2027. Of course, that would mean a late first-rounder for the Hornets in that year's draft, which is different from what people forecasted when Dallas inexplicably shipped its previous superstar, Luka Doncic, at the trade deadline to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The pick Mavs owe Hornets will likely be a late first-rounder
Hope isn't completely lost for Charlotte concerning that certain draft asset. The Mavs could experience some setbacks along the way, including potentially losing head coach Jason Kidd to the New York Knicks, age catching up to their core players, namely Davis, Irving, and Klay Thompson, and Flagg failing to live up to expectations, which seems unlikely.
On the other hand, the Hornets probably shouldn't be worrying too much over where the pick from Dallas ends up in the draft order. If they still have to rely on the draft to look for foundational pieces two years from now, that could mean they are not far along in the path toward their goal of becoming sustainable contenders.
In fact, Charlotte's dream ought to be seeing its own first-round selection in 2027 falling outside the lottery, as that scenario would entail the team having advanced to the playoffs in the previous season. The additional pick it would get from the Mavs would just be a bonus.
To increase the odds of that scenario taking place, the Hornets have to ace this year's draft. Hopefully, they have done their homework extensively after losing the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes and are able to land a rookie who can help turn their fortunes around.