The Dallas Mavericks left the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery with the No. 9 overall pick before 2026 Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg’s second season. The Mavericks have already put themselves in a strong position for the draft by signing Masai Ujiri as Team President and appointing Mike Schmitz, a well-known NBA Draft expert, as their new General Manager.
Ujiri and Schmitz will have the No. 9 and No. 30 picks in the 2025 NBA Draft and need to maximize what they get from it. They don’t control any of their first-round picks for the rest of the decade, so the No. 9 pick they have in the 2026 NBA Draft might be the highest they pick for years to come. It’s a good thing they have this pick in a Draft with one of the strongest selections of lottery talent in recent memory.
The team is well-equipped to compete for the Playoffs from next season with Kyrie Irving returning to the fold, but the 2026 NBA Draft will allow the Mavericks to pick up another core contributor. Let’s analyze three prospects the Mavericks could have their eye on with the No. 9 pick.
3. Karim Lopez – Forward, New Zealand Breakers
The Mavericks are renowned for the international players they’ve brought to the NBA and developed into long-lasting players. Their two greatest franchise icons are international stars as well, so finding another high-potential star from overseas seems like the perfect move for the Mavericks. Ujiri and Schmitz have shown a fondness for international talent in the past as well, so this could make Mexican forward Karim Lopez an interesting option for the Mavericks.
Lopez is a 6’9″ forward at 225 pounds with a reported seven-foot-one wingspan. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks last season for the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL, one of the most impressive season averages posted by a future NBA Draft prospect in that league. Lopez has strong offensive fundamentals and projects to be a tenacious defender at the NBA level. He has to add strength to be a productive NBA defender, but that shouldn’t be a problem.
The only glaring weakness in his game is his three-pointer, so the Mavericks will hope that he can develop. He has a decent floor and a high ceiling, although this would be a reach for the Mavericks. Lopez is currently mocked to go outside the top 10 to teams like the Golden State Warriors or Miami Heat, so he’ll need to really impress the Dallas front office for them to take a swing at him at No. 9.
Lopez could be a long-term fit alongside Flagg at forward, as long as he can become a more reliable catch-and-shoot threat from three. But given his fluid scoring skill at every other spot on the court, it shouldn’t be surprising if he develops into an All-Star forward.
2. Nate Ament – Forward, Tennessee
Nate Ament might be one of the most interesting forwards in the 2026 NBA Draft, being mocked at a range of picks from No. 5 all the way to the end of the lottery. Ament had a mixed season with the Tennessee Volunteers, averaging 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals on 39.9% from the field and 33.3% from three over the last season.
The flashes of his potential as an explosive and multi-positional forward were clear, but his offensive inconsistencies have caused him to fall after being a presumed top-five pick during preseason.
The Mavericks could load up on powerful wings by drafting Ament as the long-term frontcourt pair alongside Flagg. It allows the Mavericks to have a long-term plan after P.J. Washington at power forward, with Flagg and Ament having the required modern switchability to essentially be a positionless duo, causing havoc on both ends with their athleticism and physicality. Both also have strong on-ball skills, although Ament will likely need to adjust to what Flagg needs to be truly impactful.
Ament measured in at 6’9.5″ barefoot and 211 pounds with a 6’11.5″ wingspan and 9’1.5″ standing reach at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine and has shown a willingness to be a three-point shooter. He’ll definitely need a few years of development before he can fulfill his potential as a future All-Star, which is why the Mavericks might be perfect for him as they continue to rely on Washington as the starter next to Flagg.
1. Brayden Burries – Guard, Arizona
Brayden Burries would be the perfect addition for the Mavericks in the 2026 NBA Draft. Unless somehow Keaton Wagler is available at No. 9, the Mavericks can’t make a better selection than Burries from the Arizona Wildcats, who averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 49.1% from the field and 39.1% from three last season.
The clearest need for the Mavericks in the 2026 NBA Draft is at guard, but their position in the lottery means they’ll likely get to select at the end of the talented guard prospects expected to be drafted. Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings, and Mikel Brown Jr. are expected to go ahead of Burries. But even with Burries falling to the bottom of that guard core, he might be the best fit for the Mavericks outside of Wagler.
Burries showed great viability as a do-it-all combo guard, affecting the game as a three-level scorer who could be a threat both on and off the ball. He needs to develop more as a secondary playmaker, but the Mavericks have the pieces to fill in as playmakers with Irving and Flagg while Burries develops his skills. He’s also a solid defender across both guard positions, capable of making a difference within team coverage with intelligent instincts or even in isolation, being hard to get past on a drive.
He measured in at 6’3.75″ barefoot and 215 pounds, with a 6’6″ wingspan and 8’2.5″ standing reach, so his lack of size to be a genuine two-guard in a backcourt with Irving might raise defensive concerns, although Burries projects to be a strong NBA-level defender.
Outside of being a poor passer, there isn’t much to complain about Burries’ offensive game. The only challenge for the Mavericks is that he might resemble Irving in production without being able to match that efficiency, at least as a rookie. But given Irving is also coming off a major ACL surgery, Burries’ presence as a versatile guard scorer can allow Kyrie to channel his inner playmaker more often as he gets back up to NBA speed as a scorer.
This might be the perfect pick for the Mavericks, but they could go with any of the top-tier guard prospects as their No. 1 talent to target.
