Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images

Dallas Mavericks assistant GM dreaming of 20 years of NBA title success after landing number one overall pick

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network | By Dan Coombs | Last updated May 27, 2025 9:30 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks are confident about their long-term future, after a tumultuous few months.

In the wake of the Luka Doncic trade and injuries to Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, it was all doom and gloom for the Dallas Mavericks.

Bill Simmons argued the Mavericks’ hopes of success for the rest of the decade had been killed off.

And while the Mavericks have always maintained their hopes of a bounce-back in 2025/26, when they landed the number one draft pick in the lottery, the team’s timeline was extended dramatically.

Expected to take exciting prospect Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks are set to land one of the most highly rated college players in years.

This has lifted the spirits within the Mavericks organization, who are confident of long-term and short-term success.

Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images

Dallas Mavericks confident of Cooper Flagg impact

Dallas Mavericks assistant GM Matt Riccardi held an interview with the franchise’s YouTube channel to discuss their post-lottery prospects.

Riccardi claimed the Mavericks were already optimistic about their chances this coming season, before the Lottery win.

He said: “We’re trying to win it every year. And the guys that we have, we felt like before this draft lottery, that we had a good enough team to win the championship.

“Now we get the chance to add the number one pick to this, so we are ecstatic for that.”

Referring to Cooper Flagg, he added: “The kid from Duke, you are bringing in someone who’s won everywhere he’s been, who’s played above his age, who’s gonna walk in and be ready to go, whatever his role is going to be.”

Mavericks dreaming of long-term success

The Dallas Mavericks look set to be a success in the short-term. Gilbert Arenas has described them as the favorites to win the title in 2026-27, the year after next, once Kyrie Irving is healthy.

Mavericks assistant GM Matt Riccardi is eyeing far beyond this, even citing a 20-year window of success, dreaming of a dynasty.

He explained: “We get to bring the 21-year-olds on this roster along slowly around the veterans we have on this team, so when those guys are done playing, I’m hoping it’s way more than three years, I’m hoping it’s five, seven years they decide to hang it up, some of our older veterans.

“But when they are done, they are passing the torch and they’ve shown these guys how to become NBA champions, and that window is extended for hopefully 20 years.”

To even think this, let alone say it publicly, seemed unthinkable for the Mavericks weeks ago, when they were being criticized for shortening their window with the Doncic trade.

Riccardi’s comments show the reborn levels of optimism in the Mavericks at the moment. And with dreams of success over the next 20 years, they better decide to keep Cooper Flagg around instead of one day trading him away.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: