Not 100 days after a cataclysmic trade sent Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, things have turned around for the Mavericks franchise. Despite Nico Harrison, the architect of the most criticized trade in NBA history, sending the face of the franchise away, Dallas is now poised to draft Duke superstar Cooper Flagg and add one of the most exciting prospects in recent history to a team that already features former NBA champions Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.
Dallas Mavericks Secure #1 Pick in 2025 NBA Draft
The Dallas Mavericks have gone to having one of the most depressing outlooks in the NBA to perhaps the most exciting. There are fans still understandably not over the loss of Luka Dončić, who was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in February. As general manager Nico Harrison is up there with Satan himself in terms of Dallas-Fort Worth-area public opinion, the franchise may have miraculously received a new savior.
Former Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg, the consensus #1 prospect, is now likely to arrive in Dallas after the team won the 2025 NBA Draft lottery despite under 2% odds to do so. The Mavericks have gone from the NBA Finals in 2024, to trading their face of the franchise and missing the playoffs, to now having a potential core of Flagg, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and more.
Not weeks after the Dallas Wings of the WNBA drafted UConn star Paige Bueckers with the #1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Flagg seems destined to be the second #1 player the city has added in one summer.
Fans React to 2025 NBA Draft Lottery
The dramatic news is shocking NBA fans across the world, as Dallas has gone from a “cursed” franchise to now one of immense promise.
The ghost of David Stern watching Adam Silver blatantly rig the lottery. pic.twitter.com/guNYK5NLJ2
— Jason Gallagher (@jga41agher) May 12, 2025
Rob Pelinka right now trying to get Nico Harrison to trade the number 1 pick in the draft for Austin reaves and 3 gallery department shirts from Jared Vanderbilt pic.twitter.com/Xv8D9mjcQS
— John (@iam_johnw) May 12, 2025
I’m not a big conspiracy theorist but it seems awfully convenient that the Mavericks traded Luka to the NBA’s biggest market and then got Cooper Flagg in return months later, despite having just a 1.8% chance to land the number one pick.
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) May 12, 2025
This isn’t even subtle rigging tbh.
— Barry (@BarryOnHere) May 12, 2025
Ratings were down, so the NBA gave Luka to the Lakers, and then gave the #1 pick in the NBA Draft to Dallas as compensation. Disgusting corruption.
And you can’t even argue it. The odds are too low of all of this lining up the way it has.
Completely rigged.
— Mitch (@MitchCK_) May 12, 2025
So the Pelicans trade AD to the Lakers and then get the No. 1 pick.
Now, the Mavericks trade Luka to the Lakers… and then get the No. 1 pick.
🧐🧐🤔🤔
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) May 12, 2025
NBA Is rigged af. The Mavs literally just traded Luka for the #1 pick in the NBA DRAFT through collusion & backdoor shit. pic.twitter.com/MATeDWvrR9
— ZIM (@zimwhodey) May 12, 2025
We all know the lottery is rigged but this is on a different level. Did the NBA promise them the 1st pick to get Luka to LA?? pic.twitter.com/Zmvh0N0vGH
— Bryson Wright (@BrysonWright3) May 12, 2025
Adam Silver – “Let’s just hope there’s no outcome that fans can say is rigged”
Every fan after that outcome – pic.twitter.com/CeTEYb3WWs
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) May 12, 2025
Most obviously rigged draft of all time … and that’s saying something
— Ballsack Sports (@BallsackSports) May 12, 2025
Adam Silver made Nico Harrison trade Luka to LA to get the NBA ratings as they were tanking, and in exchange for that they rigged the lottery so Dallas gets Cooper Flagg
Nothing can convince me otherwise at this point pic.twitter.com/Aoc7Wy42UK
— Joel Penfield (@jtpenfield) May 12, 2025
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