One Pick at No. 9 Could Make or Break the Cooper Flagg Era in Dallas

The Dallas Mavericks have their guy. Cooper Flagg is the real deal, a franchise-altering talent who looked every bit like a future superstar in his first season. The problem is that the rest of the roster didn’t exactly cooperate.

Between a brutal 2025-26 season wrecked by injuries, roster instability, and Kyrie Irving spending most of the year sidelined, the Mavs bottomed out just enough to land the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. And here’s the thing: Dallas doesn’t control its own first-round pick again until 2031. So this pick isn’t just another draft choice. It’s one of the few shots the franchise has to get this rebuild right around Flagg.

That means whoever the Mavericks take at No. 9 needs to be more than just a good player. They need to be a partner for Flagg, someone who fills the holes that became glaringly obvious last season.

What Dallas is missing

The Mavericks had two massive problems in 2025-26: they couldn’t create offense from the perimeter, and they couldn’t keep guards from getting wherever they wanted with the ball. Those weaknesses put insane pressure on Flagg, who was already doing everything. He initiated offense. He cleaned up defensive breakdowns. He carried the scoring load. It was too much for one guy, even one as gifted as him.

Dallas needs a guard who can take over some of that creation duty. Someone who can break down a defense without needing a screen. Someone who can push the pace in transition and find Flagg on the wing. And on defense, someone who can actually stay in front of his man so Flagg doesn’t have to constantly rotate into help situations.

Kingston Flemings checks every box

That’s where Houston guard Kingston Flemings comes in. If he’s still on the board at No. 9, the choice should be simple.

Flemings has that quick first step that forces defenses to collapse, and once he gets into the paint, he’s a smart decision-maker with great vision. That’s exactly the kind of backcourt presence Dallas lacked all year. Pair him with Flagg in transition, and you’ve got one of the most dangerous open-floor combos in the league. Flagg runs the floor as well as any big forward in the draft class, and Flemings can deliver the ball on time and on target.

But here is where Flemings separates himself from a lot of young scoring guards: he actually plays defense. He has a strong frame, competes hard, and projects as a legitimate point-of-attack defender. That matters because the Mavericks got absolutely cooked by opposing guards last season. Flemings can change that dynamic, and when you combine his pressure on the ball with Flagg’s instincts as a weak-side helper, you start to see the foundation of a defense that can create turnovers and fuel fast breaks.

Timeline matters

This isn’t just about talent. It’s about fit and timing. Flagg is 19 years old. The Mavs don’t need to bring in a 32-year-old veteran who peaks in two years. They need someone whose development arc matches Flagg’s. Flemings fits that perfectly. Rather than spending big money on free agents who might not be around when the team is truly ready to contend, Dallas can build a sustainable core around two young pieces.

There will be arguments for just taking the best player available regardless of position. That philosophy usually makes sense. But the Mavericks already have their franchise star. Their job now is to maximize him. Flemings addresses the team’s biggest weaknesses in a way few other prospects at No. 9 can. He brings creation, defense, and competitive edge. He’s tailor-made for modern NBA basketball.

If Flemings is sitting there when Dallas goes on the clock, the Mavericks shouldn’t overthink it. Take the guy who makes Flagg better. That’s how you move an era forward.