The Dallas Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri to serve as team president and added Mike Schmitz to be general manager.
The Dallas Mavericks are looking to rebuild their winning identity around Cooper Flagg, and two moves made this week should thrill fans.
First, the Mavericks added Masai Ujiri as team president and co-governor. Ujiri is best-known for building the Toronto Raptors' 2019 championship roster, and is regarded as one of the best team builders in the NBA. The Raptors only let him go in 2025 after he began a full-on rebuild.
On Friday, the Mavericks added Mike Schmitz to the fold as general manager. Schmitz spent the last four seasons as an assistant GM for the Portland Trail Blazers, and is one of the NBA's rising stars behind the scenes.
Who Is New GM Mike Schmitz?
Schmitz helped orchestrate the 2023 trade that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks for three first-round picks, and then he and his office flipped Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics for Robert Williams and two more draft picks.
In the last two seasons, Schmitz took a flier on Deni Avdija, who quickly became the face of the franchise in Portland. Under new owner Tom Dundon, the Trail Blazers are cutting costs wherever they can, and Schmitz likely saw the writing on the wall. With the ship sinking, he decided to join the Mavericks, another up-and-coming Western Conference team.
In addition to Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks have the eighth-best odds at the top pick in 2026, which is a prime asset. Schmitz and the Trail Blazers had massive success in recent drafts, landing players like Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, Donovan Clingan, and Yang Hansen.
Sharpe was picked seventh overall in 2022 and is one of the league's better young guards. In 2023, the Blazers missed out on Victor Wembanyama and Brandon Miller, but still walked away with Scoot Henderson. He has been disappointing so far, although Schmitz and the Blazers can't be faulted, as Henderson was regarded as easily the second-best player in the class.
In 2024, he drafted Donovan Clingan (a good pick!) and traded Bub Carrington to the Washington Wizards for Avdija, which has since been revealed to be a brilliant move. In the most recent draft, the Blazers added Cedric Coward before trading him for Hansen Yang, two second-round picks, and a future first-rounder.
When it comes to compiling young talent and knowing when to cut ties with players for maximum value, the Blazers have been one of the better teams since 2022, when Schmitz took on his role in their front office. As Dallas rebuilds, having a fresh face and savvy leader is key, and fans should be excited for the move.