Flagg has been the obvious No. 1 pick all season, but Harrison's decision to trade the 25-year-old Dončić for a 31-year-old Anthony Davis suggested that Dallas was all-in on the present. Had that been the case, Dallas could have offered Flagg for a number of veteran All-Stars, most notably Giannis Antetokounmpo should he become available.

Flagg is fresh off a consensus National Player of the Year campaign where he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists over 37 games, leading the Blue Devils to the Final Four. Drafting Flagg would position him alongside veterans Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis on a roster that reached the NBA Finals in 2024.

The Dallas Mavericks land the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery with 1.8% odds, the 4th-lowest to win the drawing since it was instituted in 1985.