Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg walks off the court after losing to the Houston Cougars. Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Mavericks trade No. 1 pick in shocking proposal to land $175 million superstar

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated May 13, 2025 2:20 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but that doesn't mean they will keep the selection.

Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale suggested a trade that would have the Mavs trade the top selection to the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Here's a look at the full deal:

Dallas Mavericks Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Max Christie, Daniel Gafford, Jordan Hawkins, Caleb Martin, Kelly Olynyk, 2025 No. 1 overall pick, 2026 first-round pick (their own, via New Orleans), 2027 first-round pick (their own, via New Orleans' swap rights)

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Dereck Lively II, 2031 first-round pick (via Dallas)

Giannis to the Mavs?

"Yes, the cost is high. But Cooper Flagg is, for now, a theory. Giannis is the real deal—no worse than a top-five NBA player who, at 30, provides you with a championship-contention lifeline for the next three or more years," Favale wrote.

"Flagg is also most valuable to franchises hitting the reset button. The Mavs, at the moment, aren't doing that. Losing Lively stings, but he's somewhat redundant with Giannis and Davis, the latter of whom would need to play more center. Dallas would be without a backup big while sending out Gafford, but whatever. You can approximate second-string center play on the cheap.

"Offense will be a concern while Kyrie Irving recovers from his ACL injury. The Mavs lose a floor-spacer in Thompson and a key developmental prospect in Christie. But when you view this through the lens of cornerstone assets only, Dallas is effectively turning Luka, Lively, its 2025 pick and its 2031 pick into Giannis, AD and the Lakers' 2029 first-rounder."

It's a deal that is very hard to imagine, but Dallas will explore all options for the top pick, and if Antetokounmpo is on the block, that's something the Mavs have to consider.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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