The Mavericks entered the offseason needing to make a pretty difficult decision. They could stay patient after a 26-56 season, keep developing Cooper Flagg and wait for Kyrie Irving to return fully healthy, or they could use the remaining veterans and future picks to build a contender immediately.
This brand new proposal goes for the second option. The Mavericks would take a pretty aggressive approach with the Bucks, who are now clearly in a rebuilding phase after moving on from Giannis Antetokounmpo. Dallas could look to capitalize on that situation by targeting win-now pieces while Milwaukee focuses on rebuilding for the future and prioritizing long-term flexibility.
This would be a massive risk for the Mavericks. They’d be sending out four rotation guys and their own first-round picks, basically burning the last big draft assets they have left. But from a basketball view, it actually makes a ton of sense. Tyler Herro and Myles Turner would be huge additions to win now, as Cooper Flagg could head into his second season with a roster that would legitimately compete right away.
Trade Framework
Dallas Mavericks Receive: Tyler Herro, Myles Turner
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, Max Christie, 2031 first-round pick, 2033 first-round pick
The financial side works perfectly. Klay Thompson is scheduled to earn approximately $17.5 million in 2026-27, Daniel Gafford $17.3 million, Naji Marshall $9.4 million, and Max Christie $8.3 million. That gives the Mavericks around $52.4 million in outgoing salary. Herro is due $33.0 million, while Turner will earn approximately $26.6 million, putting the incoming total at around $59.6 million.
A team operating below the first apron can receive up to 125% of its outgoing salary, plus a small additional amount, once the outgoing figure is above $29.0 million. In this case, the Mavericks’ maximum incoming number would sit around $65.8 million, so taking back $59.6 million would fit. They would still need to complete the move while remaining below the first apron, and any other offseason transaction could change the final number, but the basic framework is legal.
The Bucks would also reduce their payroll by around $7.1 million in the deal. Thompson and Marshall are entering the final years of their contracts, Christie remains under team control beyond next season, and Gafford’s extension runs through 2028-29. That gives the Bucks two expiring contracts, one younger wing, one productive center, and two distant first-round picks instead of paying Herro and Turner nearly $60.0 million combined next season.
The pick protections would be a huge part of the conversation. I don’t think the Bucks accept this package if both selections are heavily protected. The 2031 first-round pick would probably need light protection at most, while the 2033 first-round pick should probably be unprotected. Irving will be 39 in 2031, Turner will be 35, and nobody can predict what the Mavericks will look like that far into the future.
Why The Bucks Do It
The Bucks finished 32-50 and placed 11th in the East before finally trading Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat. They received Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, Nate Ament, two first-round picks, one first-round pick swap and one second-round pick. That return made one thing pretty clear: this team isn’t trying to replace Giannis with another star and keep pretending the old window is open.
Herro is only 26, so moving him immediately wouldn’t be an automatic decision. He averaged 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 33 games last season while shooting 48.0% from the field, 37.8% from three, and 91.7% from the line. His 60.2% true shooting percentage showed that he remained a very efficient scorer even through another injury-affected year.
The problem is that Herro is already an established high-volume scorer who will be looking for another major contract. He can help the Bucks win more games, but there is a fair question about whether that is actually useful right now. A Herro-led team could become good enough to stay away from the bottom of the standings without being good enough to become a serious playoff threat.
Turner creates a similar issue. He posted 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 71 games last season. His overall field-goal percentage dropped to 44.0%, but he still made 38.3% of his threes on 5.4 attempts per game. A center who protects the rim and stretches the floor always has value, even after a disappointing individual season.
Still, Turner will be 30 next season, and the Bucks just acquired Ware as one of the main young pieces in the Giannis trade. Ware needs starting minutes, touches, and defensive responsibility. Keeping Turner could help Ware develop without too much pressure, but paying Turner through 2028-29 doesn’t completely match the direction of a young roster built around Ware, Jakucionis, Jaquez, Ament, Ryan Rollins and Brayden Burries.
This mock trade would allow the Bucks to go further into the rebuild without completely giving away useful players. Max Christie is the main developmental piece. He averaged 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists last season while shooting 44.1% from the field. He is still only 23, has real wing size, and can defend both guard positions. He isn’t a future superstar, but he is exactly the type of player a rebuilding team should test for 25 to 30 minutes every night.
Daniel Gafford would also have value even with Ware already on the roster. Gafford averaged 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 65.5% from the field last season. He is a strong screener, vertical lob threat, and physical big man who doesn’t need plays called for him. The Bucks could keep him as Ware’s backup, start both in certain matchups, or move Gafford in another trade later.
Naji Marshall is probably the most underrated player in the package. He averaged 15.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 51.0% from the field. Marshall can handle the ball, defend larger wings, and create his own shot without needing offensive touches. At $9.4 million on an expiring contract, he would also be easy to move before the trade deadline if a contender needs wing depth.
Klay Thompson is mainly included for money, but he still averaged 11.7 points and made 38.2% of his threes last season. The Bucks could use him as a veteran shooter around their young guards, reroute him to another team, or simply let his contract expire. This rebuild isn’t going to depend on Thompson becoming his old self.
For me, the Bucks only seriously consider this because of the two first-round picks. Christie is useful, Gafford and Marshall have positive value, and the expiring money creates flexibility, but Herro is still the best long-term player in the package. The 2031 and 2033 selections are what make the risk understandable.
The Bucks can’t go into a full tank either because they don’t completely control the value of their own first-round picks. New Orleans gets the better of its own pick and Milwaukee’s in 2027, Portland has swap rights in 2028, and Milwaukee’s 2029 first is already tied into a Portland-Washington pick structure. They still need a functional roster instead of losing 60 games for a premium pick they might not even keep.
How The Mavericks Could Look
The potential starting five is the entire reason the Mavericks would even think about giving up this much.
Point Guard: Kyrie Irving
Shooting Guard: Tyler Herro
Small Forward: Cooper Flagg
Power Forward: P.J. Washington
Center: Myles Turner
That lineup would have four main offensive creators and a center who can stand behind the three-point line. Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists during his last healthy season, while Herro added 20.5 points and 4.1 assists in 2025-26. Defenses couldn’t load up on either guard because both can shoot off the catch, attack closeouts and score out of pick-and-roll.
The defense would obviously be the main concern. Irving and Herro are both undersized guards, and playoff teams would involve them in almost every action. Flagg and Washington would need to defend the two best opposing wings, while Turner would have to cover mistakes at the rim.
That isn’t a perfect defensive structure, but it is at least workable. P.J. Washington averaged 14.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists last season and remains the type of strong forward who can defend across multiple positions. Turner averaged 1.6 blocks and gives the Mavericks a real back-line defender without killing the spacing.
That space could be massive for Cooper Flagg. The Rookie of the Year put up 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks in 70 games. He led all rookies in scoring and became the youngest player in NBA history to score 50 points in one game. He was already carrying a huge role at 19 years old on a team that finished 26-56.
Flagg’s rookie scoring average was almost identical to Luka Doncic’s 21.2 points per game in 2018-19. Doncic then jumped into the All-NBA First Team during his second season. I’m not saying Flagg will automatically make the same jump because Luka was already an offensive system by himself, but getting Flagg near 25.0 points per game and into the All-Star conversation isn’t some ridiculous fantasy after what he just did.
The major difference is the supporting cast. Doncic became an All-NBA player in Year 2 while still carrying most of the offensive creation for a roster that wasn’t close to this talented. Flagg could enter his second season with Irving, Herro, Washington, and Turner beside him. He wouldn’t need to produce a triple-double every night just to give the Mavericks a chance.
The projected second unit would also remain pretty strong.
Point Guard: Ryan Nembhard / Sergio de Larrea
Shooting Guard: Caleb Martin / Marcus Sasser
Small Forward: Santi Aldama
Power Forward: Morez Johnson Jr.
Center: Dereck Lively II
The Mavericks recently acquired Santi Aldama, Marcus Sasser and the rights to Tarik Biberovic in a six-team deal. Aldama averaged 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season, so he could easily become the sixth man and play both forward positions. De Larrea has been great in Summer League, posting a 14-assist game last time on the court.
Dereck Lively II would be one of the best backup centers in the league. He could also close certain games instead of Turner if the Mavericks need more rebounding, switching and vertical pressure. Keeping Lively is very important because Turner has never been a dominant rebounder and finished at only 5.3 rebounds per game last season.
A normal nine-man rotation could be Irving, Herro, Flagg, Washington, Turner, Nembhard, Martin, Aldama, and Lively. Sasser would receive extra guard minutes, while Johnson could develop slowly without being forced into a major role immediately.
This roster would have real weaknesses. Irving has dealt with major injuries, Herro played only 33 games last season and Turner is coming off one of his least productive years. The Mavericks would also have almost no future first-round picks available to fix another problem after making the trade.
Still, I think the ceiling would be too exciting to ignore. Irving and Herro could create one of the best scoring backcourts in the league. Turner gives the starting lineup five players who must be respected outside the paint, and Lively plus Aldama give the bench real size. Flagg would suddenly have everything a young star normally needs around him.
The Mavericks wouldn’t only become more modern. They could become a contender immediately. A healthy Irving, another 20-point season from Herro and a jump from Flagg toward 25.0 points per game would give them three players capable of taking over a playoff game.
That is why this trade is so aggressive but also so interesting. The Mavericks already wasted years of Doncic’s career trying to create the correct roster around him. They can’t repeat that with Flagg. He just won Rookie of the Year, and his cheap rookie contract gives them a rare chance to spend everywhere else.
