Armed with the ninth pick and a new front office, Dallas aims to surround Cooper Flagg with versatile talent. See which three collegiate stars could join the roster.
DALLAS - The Dallas Mavs are about to be "on the clock.''
The 2026 NBA Draft is now here, set to launch tonight at 7 p.m. CT with new team president Masai Ujiri having hired his GM in Mike Schmitz and his head coach in Dusty May.
And now come the first major roster decisions in Dallas.
As we write this, Ujuri is armed with the No. 9 overall pick, where Dallas has an opportunity to add another premier young prospect alongside reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.
And what about the Mavs’ other two selections at Nos. 30 and 48?
There could be trades that change those slots, of course.
But for now?
Below is what our Kyler Fox - who is stationed tonight at NBA Draft headquarters in Brooklyn - thinks Ujiri’s three-man haul could look like. ...
Pick No. 9: Brayden Burries, G, Arizona
Burries landing with the Mavericks has gained plenty of momentum of late, largely due to the 20-year-old’s decision not to work out for the Sacramento Kings, who hold pick No. 7 and appear to be after a young guard.
Per ESPN’s Anthony Slater, there is a “belief” that Dallas is one of Burries’ preferred landing spots, which would line up with his unwillingness to work out for Sacramento.
Assuming the Atlanta Hawks don’t snag the combo guard first, Burries fits the mold of previous Ujiri selections. While with the Toronto Raptors, Ujiri selected Scottie Barnes, whose all-around skill set outweighed his positional label. The same applies to Burries.
The Arizona product can create, handle, rebound, and defend multiple positions. He's more of a "basketball player" than a traditional guard — which is the exact type of talent that attracts Ujiri.
We also know that May thinks highly of Burries as a prospect.
Pick No. 30: Isaiah Evans, G, Duke
The Mavs selected Flagg last summer and reportedly had "exploratory" talks with Duke's head coach Jon Scheyer for their own vacancy. Oh, and Kyrie Irving is still here.
Clearly, someone within the Dallas organization is intrigued by Blue Devils basketball.
So why not bring in Flagg's former teammate?
Evans, 20, is one of the class’ premier movement shooters, capable of creating separation without the ball and converting difficult looks while his momentum carries him away from the basket.
Evans' constant movement on the offensive end could allow the 6-foot-6 guard to majorly impact the Mavs' scoring attack without requiring a heavy volume of touches.
Pick. No. 48: Braden Smith, G, Purdue
In what may be a guard-heavy draft night for Dallas, Smith could be the most pro-ready of any new backcourt member. In his final season at Purdue, the 22-year-old broke the NCAA's all-time assists record, which stood for over three decades.
Smith possesses one of the highest basketball IQs in the 2026 class, using his feel for the game and instinctual decision-making to command the offense while creating opportunities for himself and others.
Smith could be an intriguing day-two option ... and in our man Fox's vision would put the capper on a guard-heavy selection process for Dallas.
