Dallas could eye dynamic Arkansas point guard Darius Acuff Jr. to complement Cooper Flagg, shaping the Mavs' future backcourt with elite scoring and playmaking.
In the 2025 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks drafted the face of their franchise for the foreseeable future in Cooper Flagg. But it has not led to the best season, and the team could have a fairly high pick in the 2026 draft as a result.
And with that pick, the team could look at taking one of college's basketball better guards to pair well with their superstar wing.
In a recent mock draft by ESPN's Jeremy Woo ahead of March Madness, he has the Mavericks doing exactly that. With the seventh pick in his mock, he has Dallas taking Arkansas point guard Darius Acuff Jr.
"His ability to navigate tight spaces on the court, create his own offense and find teammates has been a major separator," Woo writes. "NBA teams have concerns about his defense, but it's hard to deny Acuff's ability to manufacture points. There's variance of opinion on how he stacks up long term against his peers, but Acuff is the most NBA-ready of the four guards."
Acuff had an incredible freshman season with the Razorbacks, and it led to him being named SEC Player of the Year, as well as Freshman of the Year.
He averaged 22 points and six assists per game, both of which led the SEC. He also did so while shooting a very impressive 44 percent from three on a not-so-small sample size of over five attempts per game.
For Dallas, the fit makes a lot of sense. The Mavericks are currently built around their former Duke superstar while veteran guard Kyrie Irving remains on the bench rehabbing from an ACL tear that he suffered last season.
Not to mention Kyrie is also about to turn 34 years old.
The franchise will eventually need a long-term answer at the point guard position, so drafting a player like Acuff would allow Dallas to develop a potential successor while still remaining competitive in the present.
If the Mavericks were to select Acuff, the move would signal a clear focus on building the team’s next generation around Flagg. Adding a dynamic young point guard could give Dallas a foundational backcourt piece for years to come.
In a draft loaded with guard talent, landing a player with Acuff’s scoring ability and playmaking instincts at No. 7 could ultimately be viewed as a steal for the Mavericks.