Following the NBA draft lottery, the Luka Doncic trade is looking a little better for the Dallas Mavericks after February’s blockbuster deal sent the star to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has faced plenty of backlash for the trade, but the franchise securing the No. 1 pick could help soften the blow of losing Doncic.
Namely, it gives the Mavs an opportunity to land Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg. The Ringer’s Bill Simmons put together several trade proposals for the Mavericks to consider for the No. 1 pick. One wild idea has the Lakers sending Doncic back to the Mavericks for the No. 1 pick.
“There’s three (trade ideas), and I don’t think they should trade Flagg, I think they should keep him,” the analyst noted in a May 13, 2025, episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast.” “I’m just gonna say that. But would you trade him to get Luka back would be the first trade. That would be the funniest outcome of all it, right? That would be hilarious.
“I mean, they’d have to throw contracts (into the deal), but like what would the Lakers do if they called and said, ‘Hey, we want Luka back. We’ll give you Cooper Flagg and some contracts.'”
The Mavericks Do Not Plan to Consider Blockbuster Trade Offers for the No. 1 Pick
The idea that Harrison and the Mavericks would welcome Doncic back with open arms after all that has been said since the trade is admittedly far fetched. Despite his love for the Mavericks, Doncic may find it challenging to return to a franchise that has criticized him since the blockbuster deal.
While this would certainly be an entertaining outcome, the Mavericks appear set on taking Flagg. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that the Mavericks will take Flagg with the No. 1 pick and will not entertain trade offers.
“After making the biggest leap in NBA draft lottery history to land the No. 1 overall pick, the Dallas Mavericks plan to select Duke forward Cooper Flagg and will not entertain the possibility of trading away the pick for a proven superstar, sources told ESPN,” MacMahon wrote in a May 13, story titled, “Sources: Mavericks plan to draft Cooper Flagg, won’t trade No. 1 pick.”
“… Sources told ESPN that Patrick Dumont, who just finished his first year as the Mavs’ governor, considers the opportunity to be in position to draft a generational talent such as Flagg a ‘gift.’ While Dumont has given Harrison great leeway to run basketball operations, the governor has final decision on all personnel matters.”
Luka Doncic Is Expected to Sign a Contract Extension With the Lakers
Doncic’s new marriage with the Lakers appears to be going smoothly. The superstar is eligible to sign a contract extension this offseason and is widely expected to ink a new lucrative deal to remain in Los Angeles.
“I didn’t think (about) it yet,” Doncic said about signing a contract extension with the Lakers, per Athlon Sports. “I’ve been focused on basketball. So obviously this is the time now to think about everything.”
